SUSPECTED KIDNAPPER AND murderer Mark Hennessy died after he was shot through the shoulder by a garda detective.

Following a post-mortem examination of his body, TheJournal.ie understands that Hennessy was shot in the shoulder and that the bullet bounced off his collarbone and ricocheted into an artery.

Some people on social media had criticised the gardaí when it was originally reported that Hennessy was shot in the head at Cherrywood Business Park in south Dublin on Sunday evening. It has been alleged he was armed with a knife and had moved to attack an unarmed garda when he was shot dead.

Armed gardaí are trained to shoot for the centre mass of the body. They do not shoot to kill. Well-informed sources have said that the way the bullet reacted in this instance was very unusual and would be incredibly difficult to recreate. Sources said there was “a chance in a million” of this occurring.

Gsoc is currently investigating the shooting incident. This is regular procedure when a garda firearm is discharged.

Gardaí are investigating if a friend of Jastine Valdez’s suspected killer spotted him on Sunday after alerts about his car had been sent nationwide – and then did not inform gardaí.

TheJournal.ie understands that Hennessy was spotted on Killiney Beach on Sunday morning – the day after he allegedly killed Jastine and hours before he was shot dead during an incident with gardaí.

It is believed he was seen by a friend who had been out searching for him following the release of garda alerts. This person, it is claimed, decided to see if he could track his movements without alerting gardaí.

It is understood that he passed on this information to someone else who knew Hennessy – but not to gardaí.

Gardaí yesterday said that Hennessy may have been all over south Dublin over the weekend and have appealed to members of the public for information if they saw him.

Hennessy is described as being 5’9’’, of slight build and balding. He was wearing a dark coloured t-shirt, blue jeans and grey runners at the time.

“We would particularly like to speak with people who were in the; Dalkey, Killiney, Ballybrack, Sallynoggin, Cherrywood, Rathmichael areas. The car may have stopped at restaurants, cafes, petrol station shops or bars in those areas.

“If you travelled in this part of county Dublin between Saturday and Sunday evenings and you have a dashcam fitted please contact us and make the footage available to investigators.”

Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact Bray Garda Station on 01 666 5300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.