Police who shot armed Queensland man say they feared for their lives
Officers who shot an armed man dead near Brisbane had feared for their lives, police say.
The man aged in his 30s allegedly had a bladed weapon when police were called to a disturbance on Russell Island, east of Brisbane, just before 9am on Sunday.
He was shot and died at the scene despite first aid efforts.
“At this stage, we believe this incident only involved the officers and the male person who was at that residence,” Superintendent Andrew Pilotto told reporters on Sunday.
Asked whether the man threatened police in some capacity, Pilotto said: “The investigation will tease that out.”
“But the officers were in fear of their life, I’m informed. So that would be why they deployed lethal force.”
Police were called to Ranora Avenue by concerned neighbours who heard the disturbance, Pilotto said.
“It is a very quiet Russell Island on a Sunday morning at 9am,” he said. “So you can imagine any noise here is noticed quite easily.”
Based on preliminary advice, Pilotto said officers hadn’t deployed a taser during the incident.
A crime scene has been established, with forensic investigators and detectives travelling from the mainland.
The force’s ethical standards unit will investigate the shooting on behalf of the coroner, with oversight from Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
Pilotto said it was “absolutely normal” for the state’s independent statutory body to oversee investigations where police have shot suspects.
“They oversee all discipline matters in QPS,” he said.
“They also oversee all the use of force investigations we do.
“So very standard that they attend these incidents.”