Carlow Gunman Named As Evan Fitzgerald (22) Who Had Fascination With Firearms

He was due back in court on Wednesday.

The gunman at the centre of a shooting at Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow has been identified as 22-year-old Evan Fitzgerald, from Portrushen Upper, Kiltegan, Carlow.

He was due back in court this Wednesday in relation to firearms offences.

In March 2024, he was as stopped by members of the Emergency Response near Straffan, Co Kildare.

At that time, a firearm – a Heckler and Koch G3 rifle – was seized along with a Remington M1911 handgun and a variety of ammunition.

He had purchased them on the dark web. 

Here is a full timeline of how yesterday's events unfolded: 

Yesterday's events

Just after 6:15 p.m. – Initial Reports

Multiple emergency calls were made reporting shots fired at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre. Witnesses described scenes of panic as large numbers of people ran from the building.

Gardaí Arrive on Scene

An unarmed Garda was the first to arrive and saw a lone male exiting the centre while discharging a shotgun into the air.

Moments Later – Armed Gardaí Confront the Suspect

Additional Gardaí arrived and identified themselves as armed officers.

As they confronted the suspect, he turned the firearm on himself, resulting in a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound.

No shots were fired by Gardaí during the incident.

Immediately After – Public Evacuation and Medical Response

While no one was injured by gunfire, a young girl suffered a minor leg injury while fleeing the scene with her parents. The shopping centre was evacuated and a safety cordon was established around the centre and its carpark.

Evening – Suspicious Item Found, Bomb Squad Called

During the scene examination, Gardaí discovered a bottle containing an unknown substance on the deceased.

The Irish Defence Forces EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team from Collins Barracks, Cork, was called in to assess the object. They  declared the area safe this morning.

June 2 Morning – Forensic Investigation

The Garda Technical Bureau began a detailed technical examination of the shopping centre and carpark early Monday morning. 

Ongoing – Identification and Post-Mortem

The deceased has been identified as a white Irish male in his early 20s. His body remains at the scene pending removal to the State Pathologist’s Office in Whitehall for formal identification and a post-mortem by Dr Heidi Okkers.

Investigation Underway

An incident room has been established at Carlow Garda Station. A Senior Investigating Officer is leading the inquiry, with a Family Liaison Officer supporting the deceased’s family.

Appeal for Witnesses

Gardaí are urging anyone who was in the area between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to come forward. They specifically request that any video footage of the event be shared directly with investigators rather than posted on social media.