GARDAI carried out a controlled delivery of firearms to Carlow gunman Evan Fitzgerald after being tipped off by the FBI about attempts to buy them on the dark web.
Senior sources told the Irish Sun that the 22-year-old’s obsession with firearms, which was only discovered after his arrest, underlined the validity of the initial operation against him.
Fitzgerald caused mayhem at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow on the evening of June 1.
He discharged a number of shots in the air before turning the shotgun on himself after armed officers arrived at the scene and declared who they were.
Labour’s Alan Kelly this week raised questions over the “proportionality” of the gardai’s actions in March 2024 when they carried out the controlled delivery of firearms.
He asked if they could have looked at alternative interventions given Fitzgerald was not involved in organised crime and had “some issues.”
The Irish Sun understands that the controlled delivery was carried out by gardai in the wake of a tip off from the FBI in the US.
It followed a €2,700 payment being allegedly paid over for the acquisition of firearms and ammo.
Controlled delivery is a common methodology used by police forces worldwide.
It sees a handover of illicit items to a suspect, who has sought to get them, by an undercover police officer.
A senior source said: “Gardai were correct to act in the initial case last year and act on information passed to them.
“Controlled delivery is a very common method used by police forces worldwide.”
In a statement on the matter, a spokesperson said: “An Garda Siochana is precluded by law from commenting on protected disclosures.
“An Garda Siochana does not comment on matters before the courts.
“In general and without commenting on any specific case, An Garda Siochana use a range of internationally recognised investigative techniques when tackling serious crimes such as the sale and supply of drugs and procuring of firearms, either of which could then be used to cause significant harm to the public.
“One of these is controlled deliveries. In controlled deliveries if any material is used it is made safe by the law enforcement agency before being used, ie firearms are deactivated.
‘ALLEGATIONS REFERRED’
“Following these allegations being published by a national newspaper in May 2025, the Garda Commissioner referred these allegations to Fiosru for independent examination in line with the ‘incidents of concern’ provision in the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, and relevant material was provided.
“As stated by the Commissioner, Fiosru has informed An Garda Siochana that it would not be taking any further action on the matter.
“The individual involved was charged following independent evaluation of the Garda investigation by the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
During Fitzgerald’s first court appearance, gardai initially objected to his bail but then acceded to it under strict conditions which the accused had stuck to until the day of taking his own life.
Another source explained that Fitzgerald did not have any criminal history, which made it difficult to prevent him from getting bail when charged last year.
‘NUMBER OF FACTORS’
This source added: “There are a number of factors that the gardai could object under, such as being a flight risk, interference of witnesses or the risk of committing a serious offence while on bail or the seriousness of the alleged crimes.
“But this all has to be backed up by examples and facts.
“The fact is that this man had no criminal history whatsoever to back up any such concerns.”
The Irish Sun last week revealed how cops probing Fitzgerald’s death seized a USB stick found taped to his friend’s bedroom window.
They are now examining its contents in a bid to get answers behind his actions.
