A man has been killed and a nine-year-old child is injured after a shooting at a shopping centre in Ireland.
The incident happened at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in County Carlow at around 6.15pm on Sunday.
According to Irish broadcaster RTE, the suspect “fired a number of shots” inside a Tesco supermarket before he died.
It is understood that the shooter’s wounds were self-inflicted and that the child has suffered non-life threatening injuries.
A bomb squad and air ambulance landed at the scene as shoppers fled the area in horror.
Gardaí, ambulance and the fire service have also been deployed.
A cordon remained in place at the shopping centre on Sunday night as investigations into the shooting continue.
The premises have been evacuated while security remain on the scene.
However, authorities say there is no further concern for public safety.
A Gardai spokesman said: “Gardaí are currently at the scene of an incident at a retail premises in Carlow town. The alarm was raised shortly after 6:15pm.
“The premises has been evacuated and the scene is preserved. The Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has been requested to attend.
This is something we never expect to happen in our communities
“At this time, there is no further concern for public safety. Anyone who may have recorded footage of the incident is urged not to share it on social media platforms or messaging apps, but instead to provide it to Gardaí at Carlow Garda Station.”
The country’s justice minister Jim O'Callaghan said “this is something we never want or expect to happen in our communities”, adding: “Gun violence is very rare in Ireland, and I am determined that will remain the case."
The law in Ireland states that citizens must have a valid license to hold or possess any firearm.
Gun crime has seen a significant decline in recent years: from 59 people deliberately wounded in 2005 to just 9 in 2023.
