A detective garda who shot two raiders dead during an attempted robbery at the post office in Lusk two years ago has told the Coroner's Court how one of the men pointed a gun at him.
He also said that the second raider, Eric Hopkins, reached for that gun after the first suspect, Colm Griffin, had been shot.
The detective said both Eric Hopkins and Colm Griffin ignored calls to drop the weapon and get down on the floor.
He said he was in fear for his own life and for the lives of customers and staff at the post office during the robbery at the Village Store in Lusk, Co Dublin in May 2005.
The detective said after Mr Hopkins went over to Mr Griffin and reached out his right hand and placed it at the gun.
The detective said he was hoping he would get down on the ground when told to do so but the detective shot Mr Hopkins after he believed that he had taken possession of the gun.
Both Colm Griffin and Eric Hopkins died at the scene.
The detective, who is a member of the Emergency Response Unit, said he and another detective were dressed as builders and working covertly in the store when the raid took place.
He said he was fearful that the gunman was going to kill him.
Earlier, a man serving a ten year sentence for his part in the post office robbery said he did not hear gardaí shouting a warning.
Gavin Farrelly told the inquest that he was using a sledge hammer to break into the post office.
Earlier jury members were shown more CCTV footage of the incident.
In the footage one of the men shot dead, Colm Griffin, is seen pointing a gun at customers and staff in the shop and subsequently pointing a gun at a door where an armed garda was standing.
The CCTV footage also shows two armed gardaí were waiting in the shop before the three raiders burst in.
