Cop killer shot dead in shootout

AUSTRALIA: A gunman who shot dead Queensland policeman Brett Forte has himself been killed during a final shootout with police west of Brisbane.

Police say Rick Maddison ran from the shed he had been holed up in on a rural property at Seventeen Mile in the Lockyer Valley and fired at heavilyarmed police yesterday.

Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) officers shot back and Southern Region Assistant Commissioner Tony Wright confirmed Maddison was declared dead at the scene.

‘‘The male person who is the subject of our inquiries in relation to the death of Senior Constable Brett Forte has exited the building in which he was in,’’ said Wright. ‘‘He has been challenged by police. ‘‘At that point in time, he has fired at those police. Specialist police have returned fire. The male person has been shot and that male person has been declared deceased at the scene.’’

Locals say they heard four shots at the end of a tense 21-hour siege, which occurred in Maddison’s property on the top of a ridge.

Residents also said the 40-year-old had a wide collection of firearms, including machine guns, and heard him shooting at the property most days.

A member of the Toowoomba’s Tactical Crime Squad, Senior Constable Forte’s death came after police tried to pull over Maddison on Monday afternoon.

Maddison - previously been charged with torture among other offences gunned down Sen Const Forte without warning.

‘‘I know was it was completely unexpected and Brett sadly never had a chance,’’ Queensland Police Union chief executive Ian Leavers said.

He was tracked by police to the shed around 4pm on Monday after he also fired at other officers, police vehicles and a police helicopter.

Maddison has been described in media reports as a career criminal, which included a 2008 arrest in Gatton for torture, deprivation of liberty, and drug offences.

‘‘This guy they are after, he has got serious history,’’ Leavers said.

‘‘I know a bit about him but while it is unfolding I have to hold back.’’

Leavers indicated Maddison should not have been at large.

‘‘The 60,000 police in Australia, are hurting today,’’ he said.

Queensland Commissioner Ian Stewart paid tribute to Forte as a ‘‘fine son’’ of the police service. - AAP