A senior investigating officer with Fiosrú has told the inquest into the death of George Nkencho how his family had flagged issues with his mental health dating back to January 2020.
Stuart Duguid read into the record the early parts of his full and independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Mr Nkencho by gardaí outside the family home in Clonee, west Dublin, on 30 December 2020.
The inquest heard that Fiosrú collected evidence to primarily prepare a report for the Director of Public Prosecutions, but it also has a role in assisting the coroner in determining the exact cause of death.
Mr Duguid outlined to Coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, the medical history of Mr Nkencho.
His report noted that, on 12 January 2020, Mr Nkencho was arrested under the Mental Health Act and he was examined by a doctor while in custody at Blanchardstown Garda Station.
At that stage, the doctor believed that he posed no risk to health and safety of the public.
'Bizzare behaviour'
Five days later, on 17 January 2020, his sister Gloria reported Mr Nkencho's ''bizarre behaviour'' - such as talking and muttering to himself - and how he was violent towards the family and ''throwing furniture around''.
On 8 June 2020, the report stated that she belived her brother was smoking weed a lot, was talking to himself and was aggressive and shouting at his family.
Ms Nkencho said that she had locked herself in the car outside for her own safety.
On 15 July 2020, a GP made a housecall to the family home.
Members described Mr Nkencho's symptoms as paranoia, verbal and phsyical abuse and hygiene issues.
The GP also spoke to Mr Nkencho and he denied having any drug abuse issues.
The GP wrote to the West Blanchardstown Mental Health Team recommending a community assesment be carried out.
The inquest previously heard that there were two attempts to assess Mr Nkencho and that he had not been at home on both occasions.
A doctor wrote to the GP stating that on the second visit, on 6 August 2020, he ''had left to avoid assessment''.
The shooting of Mr Nkencho was subject of an independent criminal investigation by the then-Garda Síochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), now Fiosrú, which concluded in June 2023 with the submission of an investigative file to the DPP.
A decision was made not to pursue any criminal prosecution in relation to the shooting.
Situation could not be de-escalated - garda
Earlier, a garda fire arms training instructor told the inquest that he did not believe the situation, in which Mr Nkencho was shot and fatally injured by a member of the Garda Armed Support Unit outside his home, could have been de-escalated.
Sergeant John Heaney told the inquest that Mr Nkencho "wasn't feeling any of the pain or discomfort from any of the non-lethal weapons", after a taser was deployed on two occasions and pepper spray was used.
When shown a video of the incident Sgt Heaney said that the use of a less lethal launcher weapon would not have been the appropriate weapon to use in the circumstances.
Sgt Heaney said it would have been "completely the wrong weapon to bring out" and said that it needed to be remembered that a "knife was a lethal weapon".
Earlier, Sgt Heaney, who helped to design and deliver the Garda Armed Support Unit training course, was asked about the training of Garda A, who fatally shot Mr Nkencho.
He said that students were assessed throughout the course, from one to 11, and needed to reach an eight by the end of the course to pass.
Sgt Heaney said that Garda A completed the course in 2018, including the tactical element which he oversaw in March.
He said that while Garda A achieved marks of four and five in the early stages of tactical training, he achieved an eight by the end of the course.
He also commented on some of the observations he made during Garda A's training, that he had "made some mistakes that need to be addressed", but Sgt Heaney told the inquest that there were "no significant mistakes" and nothing that other students would not have also been doing.
Sgt Heaney said that Garda A had passed the course, and he noted that it had a significant failure rate, and that it was usual that eight or nine participants out of 20 would not progress.
"If there were any concerns at all, he would have failed," he said.
Earlier, Mr Nkencho's family became visibly upset when a video of the incident that led to his death was played at the inquest hearing.
His mother Blessing left the inquest when the footage was played at the request of counsel for An Garda Síochána, Ronan Kennedy SC.
Dublin City Senior Coroner, Myra Cullinane said that she was disappointed that it was not revealed to the family and that they were not warned they would be shown the footage.
Mr Kennedy apologised for requesting that the video be shown without warning and said he accepted full responsibility.
