Man who shot at gardaí was agitated over family matter

Taximan Anthony Mc-Mahon who shot himself after firing at gardaí on Monday night was said to have been very agitated in recent days over a family matter.

Mr McMahon, 44, from Colbert Avenue, Janesboro, Limerick, had been separated from his partner for a number of years. A local source said: “He was very attached to their son who is in his teens.”

The two firearms, a shotgun and a rifle, which he fired at gardaí near Newport, Co Tipperary, were both licensed. Details of the escape Sgt Debra Marsh and Garda Gerry Brazil had when they confronted McMahon have emerged.

A source said: “They saw his van being driven in an erratic manner near Newport. After overtaking the van, they pulled in front of it and got out to speak to the driver. As Gerry was talking to McMahon, he produced a shotgun and pointed it at Gerry. Gerry then grabbed the barrel of the gun and tried to get it off McMahon.

“As the struggle was going on, McMahon fired and two shots were discharged from the gun, which Gerry managed to get hold of just before the shots went off. How he did not get hit is a miracle.

“After grabbing the gun, the man in the van then reached in and produced a high-powered rifle and Gerry and Debra at this point took cover behind the patrol car. He started shooting again, this time through the windscreen of the van and hit the patrol car back window twice and the boot of the car once.

“He then fired another shot taking his own life. All through the incident, he was sitting in the driver’s seat of the van.”

It is believed the flash and shotgun pellets from a barrel burned and grazed Garda Brazil’s face. Gardaí are puzzled as to why Mr McMahon was travelling with two loaded guns.

It has emerged that Mr McMahon, who worked for a taxi firm, had his taxi in for repairs and had a loan of the van. A colleague said: “He was always into shooting for pheasants and had a few gun dogs. He was never in soccer or sport as such, but out shooting. It was his passion and he also used to keep racing pigeons.”

He had moved from Janesboro to Monaleen in Limerick and in recent months had moved to Rear Cross. His family were said to be in a state of shock and bewilderment yesterday.

Mr McMahon was, according to friends, a hard worker who kept to himself. Before getting a taxi licence he worked fitting carpets. He was said to be financially “comfortable”. A neighbour said: “His late mother left him the house and he had one brother and two sisters. He loved heading out the country with his dogs shooting pheasants. His son, who is now in his early teens, went everywhere with him and it’s very sad.”

A colleague said: “I heard that just before Christmas he needed carpets for a job and the carpet place in Dublin wouldn’t deliver them so, Anthony went up and got them himself, because he didn’t want to leave the woman of the house down. He’d have done anything to help you. Salt of the earth. It’s very sad.”

A number of parishioners who attended Mass in Newport yesterday said they were “shocked”. “I just heard it on the radio this morning. It’s just terrible isn’t it and sad. It’s tough isn’t it, very sad,” one lady said.

One woman, aged in her 80s, who has lived in Newport for the past 60 years, said: “Terrible, dreadful, that it could happen in our parish in a nice quiet part of the country we hope. I’m living here since 1952, and I wouldn’t say I’ve seen anything like this. Nothing as dramatic. It’s awful, putting our nice gardaí in danger, that’s the awful part of it.”

The Garda Ombudsman is investigating the matter.