The Evan Fitzgerald case with Mick Clifford

22 year old Evan Fitzgerald, identified later as a ‘vulnerable
young man’, died at his own hand outside a Carlow shopping centre
last June. He was on bail at the time for firearms offences.


He and two friends had been arrested in March 2024 in a Garda
sting after they had attempted to purchase weapons on the dark
web – it turned out the ‘sellers’ were Gardai, and the guns were
disabled.


They were released on bail after a court appearance in which
Gardai never revealed the sting operation that had led to their
arrest. In an unprecedented move, Judge Desmond Zaidan later
spoke out to correct the record on what transpired in that court
appearance.


In the aftermath of Mr Fitzgerald’s death, a number of
politicians have called for an inquiry into how the sting
operation was conducted, Garda statements in court, and leaks
suggesting he had a ‘manifesto’ at the time of his death, which
turned out to be untrue.


Irish Examiner special correspondent Mick Clifford has been
covering this case, and he’s the guest on today’s episode.


Mick Clifford: Fatal aftermath of Garda sting raises grave
questions about policing failure


Evan Fitzgerald case: Senior garda praises firearms probe


Justice minister found out from Labour TD that gardaí had
supplied Carlow shooting gun


Carlow shooting 'shouldn't have happened, but none of us know the
true story', says gun shop owner


Evan Fitzgerald: Garda sources say 'we don’t have hindsight' when
protecting the public  


 


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