Molendinar man shot by police ‘just snapped’ after one drink says family

THE mother of a Gold Coast man shot by police has said her son “just snapped” when he confronted police with two knives late on Monday night.

A crime scene was set up at Wentworth Avenue at Molendinar overnight as police investigated the incident, which saw 39-year-old Paul Dubrovsky shot “up to six times”.

Officers were called to the small residential street just after 10.30pm on Monday following reports Mr Dubrovsky was armed with two knives and was causing a disturbance.

It is understood the shooting happened at a park next to Southport Nerang Road – a busy main road.

Police will allege he ignored demands to drop his weapons and charged towards officers.

A police spokeswoman said officers at the scene fired “a number of shots” from their guns, hitting him several times in the chest.

Mr Dubrovsky’s family said he had suffered a serious brain injury just three years ago, and had only had one drink before he began behaving erratically on Monday night.

His mother, Wendy Watkins, told the ABC she called police twice after her son began behaving erratically and rushed into the street with the knives.

“I could hear (officers) saying all the time, ‘drop the knives, drop the knives’, they said that 20 or 30 times,” she told reporters.

“But they did say he sat up and was talking to them, after he’d been shot in the hand, the shoulder, the tummy.”

Ms Watkins said her son had been suffering from ongoing mental health and physical issues, further agitated by alcohol problems and a recent family tragedy.

“I think everybody’s got a point where enough is enough and the system just breaks down, and I think this is how this has happened.

“Considering what was happening, (the police) were excellent, they were doing their job. What else could they do?

“As much as I want to punch their lights out, you have to be aware of what was actually happening, and they’re only human too.”

The man is recovering in Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition and was due to undergo surgery.

He has been charged with acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of serious assault of police while armed and possession of a knife in a public place.

The Police Union is offering support to officers who attended the scene. The police Ethical Standard Command will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.