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The family of a man shot to death by Gardai during a confrontation has spoken of his agony and called for people not to share video footage of the terror incident.
George Nkencho was suspected of being involved in incidents near his home in Clonee, west of Dublin, before threatening uniformed policemen with a knife.
After attempts by the Garda Armed Response Unit to subdue him, including with Taser, the 27-year-old died after officers shot him three times.
The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission has launched an investigation into the incident, including examining video footage capturing Garda’s fatal shooting of the young man in his front garden.
As the investigation continues, George’s family members spoke of his grief and pleaded with people not to share videos of his death.
Sister Gloria said, “Thank you all for your condolences and prayers.
“My brothers and I have witnessed the most traumatic experience of our lives when our brother was shot in front of us.
“George suffered from a serious mental illness and those who knew him know what kind of person he was. He was not a bully or a criminal.
“My family appreciates everything that everyone is doing. I ask you kindly [people] refrain from sharing the video of the shooting. It’s not something I want to remember. “
FAMILY ‘TRAUMATIZED’ BY SHOT
Bereaved members of George’s family attended a peaceful protest at the Blancharstown Garda station, insisting that “justice must be done.”
His younger brother, Emmanuel Nkencho, who spoke briefly to the crowd yesterday, admitted that his family was “traumatized” by the shooting.
Emmanuel, who watched the incident unfold from inside his home, said: “The last 24 hours have been hell. Now I don’t have a brother, he was the oldest in the family. Now I have to take care of my mother. I just want justice for my brother. “
Paying an emotional tribute, Emmanuel described his brother as “kind” but had “suffered from mental health problems” in recent years.
Emmanuel said: “He didn’t really go out, just to the store and back. You have your little group of friends and that’s it. My brother never bothered anyone, he just went on with his own life. “
The family said they would like to speak directly with Gardai with questions about Wednesday’s shooting.
Emmanuel asked, “Why can’t more than 15 gardai disarm a man? Until I know why, I won’t be at peace.”
‘I CAN NOT BE CALM’
Speaking at the protest in front of the Blancharstown Garda station, Emmanuel added: “All they do is tell me to calm down, but I can’t be calm.
“Justice must be done for my brother and I will not stop until justice is done.”
Emmanuel explained that his brother “was mentally ill” and said the family had previously called Gardai “to come see him.”
Pals revealed that George loved soccer, but “walked away” from playing after his close friend Toyosi Shittabey was stabbed to death in 2010.
The shooting sparked protests yesterday outside the Blanchardstown Garda station in west Dublin and inside the Blanchardstown shopping center, as groups of people chanted “Justice for George” and held up posters.
Organizers revealed that they will be protesting outside the station for the next 14 days, from 10 am to 12 pm.
GREAT PROTEST
More than 200 people gathered yesterday in front of the Blanchardstown Garda station.
Other activists say they want daily updates on the GSOC’s investigation into the death, while an online petition calling for “justice” regarding the Gardai’s fatal actions has also been shared.
Protester JK Onwumereh said the community was “angry” and “disgusted” and stated that the protesters wanted “a fair and thorough investigation” into George’s death.
He said: “The community organized this protest, it is spontaneous. Obviously, we feel sorry for the family. The expectation is to express how the community feels, but also to clearly state that what happened has no place in this community.
“We want a very fair investigation and if someone is found guilty, if it is found that someone went too far or did things they shouldn’t have done, obviously we want the whole cause of the law to take its course.
“In all the years that I have lived here in Ireland I have not heard that the police actually do this.
“People are angry because a life was lost. Despite everything that has happened this year with Covid, George Floyd and mental health issues, with all the Covid experience, you would have thought there was a better way to handle this. “
HORROR INCIDENT
The alarm was raised at 12pm on Wednesday after a man allegedly threatened staff at the Hartstown shopping center in West Dublin.
During the incident at a EuroSpar, a male staff member suffered a broken nose and jaw.
Subsequently, a second public order incident was reported at a downtown post office.
The suspect continued to threaten people and was pointed out by store personnel to uniformed Gardai, who pursued him until he was near his home on Manorfields Drive in Clonee. After he did not drop his weapon, Gardai used pepper spray as part of his arrest efforts.
But they were forced to call in backup after the man continued to brandish his knife.
A team from the Gardai Armed Support Unit arrived at the scene. They were forced to use a taser gun on the suspect twice, as he allegedly continued to threaten officers with the knife.
However, despite being hit with the Taser, it is understood that the suspect continued to lash out and hit Gardai with the weapon.
DEATH PROBE
Then the officers opened fire. When the man fell to the ground, the ASU team, who are trained as emergency first responders, treated him before he was taken to Connolly Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Locals witnessed the incident and videos were posted on social media. He is being investigated by the gardai in Blanchardstown and also by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, whose investigators attended the scene yesterday.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee yesterday described the shooting as “extremely traumatic” and expressed her condolences to “everyone involved.”
She said: “Obviously this is an extremely painful loss, George’s life. It is a tragedy for their family and I want to express my condolences to them and to all those affected by these events ”.
She added: “What happens now is that there will be a GSOC investigation into what happened. It is an independent investigation and we must allow that to happen. “
Tanaiste and Dublin West TD Leo Varadkar also sent their condolences to George’s family and said: “My deepest condolences to the family of the young man who lost his life yesterday in Clonee. Reflections also with Gardai and the store workers who were involved in the incident. “
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