Neighbour tells of yelling and screaming

I HEARD A COUPLE OF SCREAMS AND YELLS AND NEXT THING THERE WAS POLICE EVERYWHERE AND THERE’S FOUR OR FIVE POLICE CARS

JIM LOVELL

NEIGHBOURS have recalled hearing screaming, yelling and the sound of gunshots after a man was fatally shot by police outside a Brighton home.

Police responded to reports on Monday night of a man armed with a knife and acting aggressively at a property on Tea Tree Rd. The 38-year-old man was shot dead by police after driving at officers. Neighbour Jim Lovell said he heard the commotion just after 8pm.

“I heard a couple of screams and yells and next thing there was police everywhere and there’s four or five police cars,’’ Mr Lovell said.

“I saw all the police cars and fire trucks … it was all of a sudden, these red and blue lights and a lot of people at your back door, you’re obviously just a bit curious and wanting to know what was going on.”

Mr Lovell lives alone at his property and said he had been there for eight years.

The 73-year-old said he had never met those living at the neighbouring address but would occasionally see them from afar.

“I’ve seen the bloke occasionally when I’m mowing my paddocks and he’s mowing

his, that’s about the limit,’’ he said. “Everyone around here sort of keeps to themselves a bit.”

Mr Lovell said it was usually a quiet place to live.

“A few hares and rabbits and wallabies and that’s about it,’’ he said.

Mr Lovell said he knew the incident must have been serious

when he saw a strong police presence remain at the scene yesterday morning as investigations continued into the fatal shooting.

Another nearby resident, who did not want to be named, said he first heard sirens, voices and a “kerfuffle” taking place at the location.

“Then I heard the shots.

There was at least two,’’ he said.

“After that, I thought ‘what’s going on up there?’ Ten minutes later it was all lit up with fireys and police.”

The man, who has lived at his address for about 20 years, said he was unable to sleep because of the flashing lights of emergency services vehicles in the area illuminating his home.