PA MediaA shooting incident which took place in a County Carlow shopping centre was a “terrifying experience” for every person present, Gardaí (Irish police) have said.
Gardaí received multiple reports of shots being fired in Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow town shortly after 18:15 local time on Sunday evening.
The suspect, a white Irish man in his 20s, is understood to have fired the shotgun a number of times as he walked through the centre.
He was then witnessed exiting the centre and was confronted by armed, plain clothed officers. He later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At a press conference on Monday, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said no one was injured by the shots discharged, but a young girl suffered a minor leg injury after falling while running from the scene.
“This was meant to be a normal day out on a bank holiday weekend,” she said.
“This was a terrifying experience for every person that was present in the Fairgreen Shopping Centre yesterday evening.”
PA MediaWhile armed gardaí identified themselves and drew their weapons, Ms Hilman said no officers discharged their weapon.
The man’s body remains at the scene, and will be removed to the State Pathologist Office where formal identification will take place.
Ms Hilman said the deceased’s family are “grieving the death of their loved one” and asked for privacy.
Gardaí have urged people not to share any footage of the incident on social media.
They have asked anyone who was at the shopping centre between 18:00 and 18:30 on Sunday to contact them.
Gardaí courage ‘exemplary’
Following the incident, gardaí found a bottle with an unknown substance on the deceased.
An army bomb disposal team from Cork arrived late on Sunday night, and declared the scene safe earlier on Monday.
The shopping centre and the car park remain cordoned off to the public.
Ms Hilman said gardaí continue to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this “serious incident”.
PA MediaShe paid tribute to the management and businesses within Fairgreen Shopping Centre, as well as the emergency services.
“I specifically want to highlight the response of local Garda members, who on receipt of a call of a very dangerous incident immediately responded to protect their community,” she added.
“Their courage was exemplary.”
She said that gardaí are aware of the impact this will have on the local community, and there will be work done to ensure it can “come to terms with this incident”.
On Sunday, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” at the incident.
