A GARDA marksman gave evidence yesterday of how he shot a gunman in the shoulder using a high velocity sniper rifle when he saw the man point a loaded double barrel shotgun at other gardaí during a siege in Gort two-years ago.
Officer B told a jury on the fifth day of the trial of Anthony Burke (42), Crowe Street, Gort, at Galway Circuit Criminal Court that he believed the lives of his colleagues in the Garda Emergency Response Unit were in “imminent danger” and he immediately discharged a shot which hit the accused in the left upper chest area and exited just below his left shoulder blade.
Mr Burke, who denies having two shotguns and 1,400 shotgun cartridges in his possession with intent to endanger life at his home between October 8th and 9th, 2006, “crumpled” to the ground and was assisted by other gardaí who stemmed loss of blood from a large gaping wound caused by the sniper bullet as it exited his body.
Det Garda Seamus Burke of Galway Garda station said he saw Burke “keel over” when he was shot. He said he had seen Burke seconds later kneeling down on one knee with a shotgun at his shoulder pointing in the direction of three members of the Emergency Response Unit.
Officer 107, told the court he arrived at the scene after the shooting and removed a gunbelt containing 21 cartridges from around his waist.
Detective Jeanette O’Neill of the Garda Ballistics section said that 48 rounds of ammuniton had been discharged by the accused in total, both inside and outside the house, and that five bean bag rounds and the sniper bullet had been discharged by gardaí.
The trial continues tomorrow.