A raider smashed through the glass hatch at a north Dublin post office counter with a sledgehammer as staff huddled for cover in a corner, an inquest heard today.
Garda security outside the Dublin City Coroners Court today for the inquest into the deaths of Colm Griffin and Eric Hopkins
Harrowing scenes of a double shooting in a foiled north Co Dublin post office robbery were played at an inquest today.
Colm Griffin (33), of Canon Lillis Avenue, and Eric Hopkins (24), of Lower Rutland Street, both Dublin, were shot dead by members of the Garda emergency response unit as they tried to steal €48,500 from the Village Store in Lusk on the morning of May 26th, 2005.
CCTV footage from inside the shop showed Griffin collapsing to the ground after he aimed his weapon at gardai. Seconds later, Hopkins was shot in the chest as he appeared to run from the post office area towards the main shop.
A second bullet hit him in the head as he dropped to the ground.
Silence fell over Dublin City Coroner's Court as the tape - which lasted for 80 seconds - was played. Some members of the dead men's families cried quietly in the public gallery as they watched the grainy footage.
Both men were later pronounced dead in Beaumont Hospital.
The third gang member, Gavin Farrelly (35), was seen striking the glass partition of the post office counter 12 times with a sledgehammer as the terrified workers huddled inside for safety.
Farrelly, of Lower Sheriff Street, Dublin, surrendered. He was sentenced last May to 10 years in jail for his part in the foiled raid. He sat emotionless at the back of the courthouse in handcuffs as the footage was played today.
State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told coroner Dr Brian Farrell both men died almost instantly from wounds. She said Griffin was shot once in the chest, injuring his right lung and heart and causing internal bleeding.
Prof Cassidy revealed Hopkins was first shot in the chest, causing internal injuries to his pancreas, right kidney and bowel, leading him to collapse. She said that while falling, his head fell in to the line of a second bullet.
"They would be totally unaware of the circumstances," Prof Cassidy said.
Earlier, post mistress Linda Neary told the inquest today she had no warning of the raid, despite gardaí lying in wait for the robbers after a tip-off.
She said three postmen were in a rear sorting office and she was in the main office with two auditors from head office when there was a knock at the glass partition. Ms Neary said she looked through the vertical blinds and saw two gardaí who asked to be let in.
As one stood in the hallway, telling her a raid was in progress, she saw a raider in a black balaclava run from the deli area with a huge sledgehammer. "I was in fear of my life," she said. "I was terrified."
Ms Neary said the garda managed to close the door and she ran in to her office, where she huddled down in the corner with the auditors. "The sledgehammer was coming through," she said. "He was forcing the hatch with the sledgehammer, it was pounding on the window at the hatch."
The postmistress said one of the raiders shouted "open up, give us your money" while officers roared "armed garda, armed garda, put down your weapons". It was after that she heard the gun shots, she said.
The post mistress said she then saw a man injured on the ground in front of the post office receiving oxygen from a cylinder.
The inquest continues tomorrow under tight security.