Evan Fitzgerald, who ended his own life after firing shots inside a Carlow shopping centre last weekend, used a shotgun that was legally registered to a person who lived close to him and from whom he stole the gun.
Gardaí believe he was motivated by the desire to take his own life, perhaps engineering a situation requiring armed officers to open fire.
The Irish Times has also learned the 22-year-old had attracted the attention of security guards at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town before the shooting began, at about 6.15pm last Sunday, as he was seen kneeling on the ground. It was unclear if he was praying or kneeling for anotherreason.
Mr Fitzgerald, who was described as “vulnerable” by a source who had dealings with him, also tried to start a fire inside the shopping centre.
Though he was not successful in those efforts, gardaí believe he may have been trying to ignite a container of flammable liquid he had with him.
The liquid was a mix of alcohol and other combustible material.
Gardaí were concerned about the container Mr Fitzgerald, from Portrushen, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, was carrying. They requested assistance from a Defence Forces explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team to examine the container and make it safe if required.
Mr Fitzgerald’s remains were left at the scene until the EOD team arrived and carried out an eight hour examination before declaring the area safe. Though the liquid was not a viable explosive or incendiary device in the form it was found, it could have exploded if it came into contact with a raw flame.
In the hours after the incident, a second Defence Forces EOD team was asked to examine a property linked to Mr Fitzgerald after gardaí had gone there to search it. Another batch of the same liquid was discovered, as well as a small amount of ammunition.
The Defence Forces personnel examined that property in an operation lasting nine hours, until almost 6.30am on Monday. Once that private dwelling was declared safe, a Garda search took place there.
Mr Fitzgerald, a former steel yard worker, was on bail at the time of his death as he had been charged last March with firearms and explosives offences. He was alleged to be in possession of two guns seized in Co Kildare; a G3 Heckler & Koch machine gun and a Remington M1911 handgun bought on the darknet.
In a follow-up operation, involving a search at a property linked to Mr Fitzgerald, gardaí found powders used to make explosive devices and ammunition for a range of guns. He had a “fascination” with firearms, said a Garda member who gave evidence when Mr Fitzgerald first appeared in court to face the charges last year.
Several young men he was close to are believed to share his interest in guns. However, a number of friends of Mr Fitzgerald who have been spoken to as part of the investigation into last weekend’s incident have told gardaí they were shocked by his actions.
