An Irish man has been shot dead after a stand-off with police in Malta after he allegedly killed his ex-partner in an apartment.
Edward Johnston (50), was shot dead by Maltese Police on a beach in the early hours of this morning after a three-hour stand-off.
The police in Malta reported him to be a former solider from Ireland.
The woman, Nicolette Ghirxi (48), was stabbed to death in an apartment in Birkirkara and police said they shot dead Mr Johnston – her ex-partner – who is suspected of her killing.
Initial reports indicated that the woman was killed in her apartment in Triq Maestro Giuseppe Busuttil in Swatar, Birkirkara, and her body was discovered at about 2am on Monday morning, and that the suspect was shot dead by police in St Julian’s on the rocks along the shoreline behind the Hilton Hotel about 6km away, after he pointed a weapon at them.
Sources close to the investigation said the suspect had gone to the Hilton hotel at midnight and asked for a drink but pulled out a gun when he was told the bar was closed.
Police were called after receiving reports that a man wielding a gun was saying he had just murdered someone.
A police negotiator was brought in and two police teams were deployed, one to Birkirkara, where they found the woman’s apartment door locked and had to break in to find the victim murdered, and the other police team was deployed to the area of the hotel.
Sources said the man and woman had been in a relationship, which had broken down.
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Forensic experts were at the scene this morning and the road was closed off. Neighbours who spoke to Times of Malta said they did not hear anything out of the ordinary overnight.
Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa outlined the events that unfolded this morning which resulted in the murder of Nicolette Ghirxi and the stand-off with Mr Johnston.
Police have also cordoned off the area behind the Hilton Hotel, where the suspect was shot dead.
He said three-hour negotiations took place between the suspect, who was in the sea with a gun pointed at his head in St Julian’s, and police.
He said the man, who was Irish and in his 50s, had entered a hotel in St Julian’s and threatened employees, and revealed that he had murdered a person moments before, leading to the police investigating and confirming the death of Ms Ghirxi.
Police were forced to break down the door due to no response and found her lifeless with the weapon, a knife, next to her.
During the negotiations, the man was asked to come back onto land, which he eventually did but at around 3am he pointed the weapon towards the police, according to the Malta Daily.
Despite demands to put the weapon down, the man leapt at one of the officers and this resulted in action taken by the police and him being shot. He was transported to Mater Dei Hospital and was confirmed dead moments later, it added.
The website said the police commissioner told the press conference that Ms Ghirxi had issued reports in April of this year after the two had ended a relationship together, but insisted that she was not under risk and therefore a risk assessment did not take place.
The aggressor had reportedly been back in Ireland since but last week Ms Ghirxi informed the police that he was possibly in Malta.
In July, Ghirxi had made other reports that the aggressor had issued posts on social media about her but still reportedly refused the risk assessments.
A spokesperson for the Irish Embassy told the Irish Independent it is “aware of the incident” and will offer consular assistance to any relative that comes forward.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance, and that the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.
Autopsies are still taking place and investigations are ongoing.
With reporting from the Times of Malta
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