Ingle Farm shooting: Man allegedly charged at police with gas cylinder, knife
A young man allegedly charged at police with an ignited gas cylinder and a knife before officers opened fire on him in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
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A 20-year-old man allegedly charged at police with an ignited gas cylinder and a knife before officers opened fire on him in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The man was rushed to hospital in a serious condition after the early morning shooting in Ingle Farm.
Police were called to a house on Burri St just before 2.30am this morning in response to reports of a domestic violence incident involving a man and a woman, who were known to each other.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Dickson said a patrol arrived shortly after.
“On arrival (officers) observed a male attempting to ignite a gas bottle,” he said.
“That male then approached the patrol.
“At this point in time (the gas bottle) had been ignited and when the male was approaching the police officers, he was making threats towards them.”
Assistant Commissioner Dickson said the officers tried to negotiate with the man but he “continued to walk towards them with the gas bottle” for more than 100m.
The man also allegedly had a knife.
When the man refused to put the knife down, an officer tasered him. But this did not stop him.
Two officers then drew their guns and both shot the man in the chest.
Police rendered first aid before an ambulance arrived and took the man to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition.
His injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The 18-year-old woman was also taken to hospital with facial injuries.
“A police shooting is treated very seriously, and there will be a significant investigation,” Assistant Commissioner Dickson said.
He also said the involved officers were “shaken” from the incident, “but they’re doing quite well”.
“Obviously, they felt that the matter of a man walking towards them in a threatening manner, they were very concerned for their own personal safety,” Assistant Commissioner Dickson said.
Neighbour Jahn Williams, 75, witnessed the incident and said he was woken by a commotion outside.
“I got out of bed and looked through the vertical windows (and) the next thing a gas bottle across the road just went boom,” he said.
“Then there was just police everywhere.
“It sounded like a few people yelling (but) you couldn’t distinguish what was being said.”
Mr Williams said he and his wife did not know what was going on.
“My wife was just going ‘what the, was going on?’,” he said.
“It leaves you a bit dry in the mouth.”
Mr Williams said the shot man and his partner only moved into the street about six months ago but the man was not friendly with them.
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said it was a “bit scary” that such an incident occurred so close to home.
“All I heard was arguing and I just thought ‘they’re at it again’,” she said.
The neighbour said she supported the officers’ actions.
“If they’re going to go for police, the police have got all their right to do what they’ve got to do,” she said.
“I back the police anytime.”
Major Crime investigators, members of the Eastern Adelaide CIB and Internal Investigation Section are at the scene conducting an investigation into the incident.
The officers involved in the incident are receiving support from SAPOL Employee Assistance Section.
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