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George Nkencho’s sister opened the door for him immediately before he was fatally shot last week, Garda Ombudsman investigators will be informed.
An autopsy performed by the state pathologist’s office confirmed that Mr. Nkencho died as a result of two shots to the chest. It is understood that the Nkencho family’s lawyers plan to conduct an independent autopsy on Mr. Nkencho’s remains and for independent experts to analyze the images of the shooting.
The incident started shortly after noon last Wednesday when Nkencho confronted a staff member at the local Eurospar. He beat the staff member before pulling out a knife and walking to the house where his parents and three siblings live in Clonee, Co Dublin.
A large number of Gardaí, including two members of the Armed Support Unit, were at the scene when he arrived at the house.
According to sources close to the family, Mr. Nkencho’s sister, Gloria Nkencho, will tell the investigators of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) that her brother knocked on the door and she answered.
Ms Nkencho will tell investigators that Gardaí had surrounded her brother at this stage and asked them to leave him alone and said he had mental health issues.
Marked back inside
Gardaí again accompanied the sister into the house and closed the door, but it did not close. The three brothers of the deceased were in the hallway when the shots were fired.
Gardaí fired five shots, two of which entered the room through a window, according to written statements from the three brothers. As of last night, investigators had not spoken with the family.
The family, along with their legal representatives, Phelim O’Neill Solicitors, are scheduled to meet with Gsoc officials on Wednesday. Before the shooting, Gardaí had repeatedly told Mr. Nkencho to drop the knife. They then pepper sprayed him and taser him twice. On one occasion when the Taser was used, Mr. Nkencho pulled the wires from his chest.
Garda sources confirmed the sequence of events described by family members, but said officers at the scene could not have known of Mr. Nkencho’s intentions or his relationship with his family.
“The gardaí involved were faced with a decision in a split second. From their point of view, the deceased could have entered the house and taken the family hostage, “said a senior source.
Psychiatric incident
Gardaí had been called to the home on a previous occasion following a psychiatric incident involving Mr. Nkencho.
Following this, Mr. Nkencho’s family had asked their local GP and HSE for help. It is understood that they were still waiting for the HSE to provide mental health support at the time of the shooting.
The HSE was not immediately available for comment last night.
Nkencho’s body will not be delivered for burial until Friday. A funeral is expected to take even longer with a second autopsy at the request of the family.
It is understood that the pandemic makes it difficult to find an independent pathologist to perform an autopsy.
Mr. Nkencho’s parents are from Nigeria, but have lived in Ireland since he was seven years old.
The death has sparked great anger in the West Dublin community, with protesters vowing to rally in front of Blanchardstown Garda Station every day for at least one more week.
The incident has also resulted in false information being spread online, including the fact that Nkencho had more than 30 previous convictions. Gardaí has confirmed that he had no convictions.
Several claims that Mr. Nkencho had a machete or a butter knife are also false, Gardaí confirmed. He was carrying a kitchen knife.
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