Nkencho family receive hate mail after shooting
George Nkencho, who was shot dead last week.
Gardaí are conducting an investigation after the family of George Nkencho received hate mail in the post.
The letter, seen by the , contains racist and offensive language and makes reference to false accusations that circulated on social media about criminality involving the 27-year-old.
The sender said they were “glad” Mr Nkencho was dead and tells the family to get out of Clonee.
Sources close to the family said the letter had caused them “considerable added distress”.
Mr Nkencho was fatally shot by a member of the Garda Armed Support Unit outside the family home on Manorfields Drive, Clonee, west Dublin, a week ago.
Gardaí confirmed they are investigating the letter sent to the family.
A Garda spokeswoman said: “An Garda Síochána is investigating the origination and contents of correspondence which has been brought to our attention.”
It is understood gardaí are conducting a fingerprint, DNA and hand-writing examination of the letter and envelope and are trying to track the posting and, if possible, source any CCTV cameras that might help identify the culprit.
The disturbing development comes as legal representatives for the family secured permission from the coroner to carry out an independent post mortem on Mr Nkencho.
The autopsy – separate to the one carried out by GSOC as part of their investigation into the fatal shooting – has been delayed due to difficulties getting an independent pathologist from abroad due to Covid restrictions.
Alternative arrangements could delay the funeral of Mr Nkencho, after indications the coroner planned to release the body on Friday.
Solicitors for the family have written to GSOC, which include witness statements from three siblings of Mr Nkencho.
They say they were in the hallway of the house when the shots were fired and that one of them had gone out to their brother beforehand but was directed back in by gardaí for their safety.
The family legal team, Phelim O’Neill Solicitors, was due to meet GSOC investigators tomorrow, but this is now expected to happen in the coming days.
Much of the focus of GSOC, and of the family, is believed to centre around the circumstances leading up to the decision to fire the first shot and each of the subsequent four shots, including the final shot which occurred four seconds after the fourth shot.
Questions have also been raised regarding two apparent bullet holes in a pane of glass at the door of the Nkencho family home and whether or not they came from the five shots fired by the ASU officer.
