A garda told the inquest into the death of Mr John Carthy yesterday he would never forget the expression on the Abbeylara man's face as he walked towards him with a gun, just before he was shot dead by members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU).
Det Sgt Aidan Foley of Athlone Garda station said he had "a fixatious" expression on his face, which was yellow. It was as if he was in a trance.
He turned to his colleague Garda Boland and said: "We are going to have to do it," meaning they would have to shoot him as he felt their lives were in danger. Then he heard four shots and Mr Carthy fell to the ground.
Shortly beforehand, Mr Carthy had discharged a shot from his house and could be heard shouting "why, why, why?". He appeared extremely agitated.
Det Sgt Foley said he also heard loud music, which appeared to be news bulletins, coming from the house.
When Mr Carthy walked out of his house on April 20th after a siege which lasted 25 hours, he was called upon to drop his gun, that there were armed gardaipresent, he said.
Det Sgt Foley said he drew his revolver, aimed it at Mr Carthy and moved back. He observed Mr Carthy walk out onto the road. As he crossed the road he opened his gun, took out a cartridge, threw it in the ditch, closed it again, and walked towards the witness with the gun pointed in his direction and with his right hand on the trigger.
Supt Michael Byrne, district officer from Granard station, also gave evidence. He took charge of the scene from midnight to 9 a.m. on Thursday before being relieved by Supt Joe Shelley. He said he had discussed with Det Sgt Gerard Russell, who was in charge of the ERU, the possibility of a covert entry into the house when Mr Carthy had quietened after 4 a.m.
Supt Byrne said Mr Carthy was seen resting on the couch under a blanket but the weapon could not be seen and the risk of covert entry was deemed "too great". However, he said Det Sgt Russell had successfully recovered the keys from the damaged patrol car parked in the driveway and had been able to cut the TV cable.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, for the Carthy family, asked about the media being brought close to the scene at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday. Supt Byrne said: "It was to prevent lone media people from making forays through the fields." Mr Gageby asked if the media had threatened this. "They wouldn't give you advance warning," said Supt Byrne.
Supt Byrne also described how he "physically restrained" Marie Carthy from trying to go to speak with her brother as he was concerned for her safety and observed she had consumed alcohol. She arrived at the scene in the early hours of Thursday.
Supt Byrne also accompanied Chief Supt Padraic Tansey to Mullingar Hospital where Mr Tom Walsh, a relative, identified the body. Supt Byrne said Mr Walsh "thanked me and said the gardai had done all they could for John".