Over one hundred people have gathered for a demonstration in Dublin following the fatal Garda shooting of a man on Wednesday.
The protestors carrying signs reading “Justice for George” and “Black Lives Matter” gathered outside of Blanchardstown Garda Station on Thursday afternoon, saying their demonstration will continue for fourteen days.
A section of the Navan Road is closed to traffic as a result.
It comes as George Nkencho (27) was shot at least three times in his front garden by members of the Blanchardstown Armed Support Unit (ASU) while allegedly brandishing a knife and threatening gardaí.
The Tánaiste has offered his sympathies to the family of Mr Nkencho, adding his thoughts are with the gardaí and shop workers involved in the incident.
In a series of tweets, Leo Varadkar also urged against “social media speculation” over the fatal incident, saying it was “unhelpful at this stage”.
I would also urge people, especially public representatives, not to add to social media speculation about the incident. That is unhelpful at this stage 2/2.
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) December 31, 2020
Investigators from the Garda Ombudsman are set to examine video footage of the shooting that took place outside Mr Nkencho’s family house on Manorfields Drive in Clonee, west Dublin.
The incident began shortly after midday on Wednesday when Mr Nkencho, according to eyewitnesses, entered a Eurospar supermarket in Hartstown where he punched a manager in the face.
He reportedly took a knife from his pocket and brandished it towards staff, then moved to the Post Office section of the Hartstown Shopping Centre, with unarmed gardaí arriving shortly after.
At least 12 unarmed gardaí followed Mr Nkencho out of the shop and through several housing estates while instructing him to drop the knife.
When Mr Nkencho reached his front garden at around 12.30pm, the ASU had arrived to take over the operation, which is when fatal shots were fired.
Graduated response
In a statement, An Garda Síochána said it used a “graduated policing response” after being threatened with a knife, which is understood to have involved the use of pepper spray and Taser guns.
Gardaí said attempts to use less-than-lethal force to resolve the incident proved unsuccessful.
Following the shooting, first aid was administered by ASU members before paramedics from the Dublin Fire Brigade arrived and began CPR.
Mr Nkencho was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
