STAR Group officers fatally shoot man during siege at Elwomple, near Tailem Bend
A MENTALLY disturbed man has been fatally shot by STAR Group police after repeatedly firing at police during a siege in the Elwomple area, near Tailem Bend.
A MENTALLY disturbed man shot dead by police after firing at officers during a five-hour siege near Tailem Bend has been described by neighbours as kind and gentle.
Alex Kuskoff, 50, was killed during a shootout with police at his isolated Elwomple Rd property, just before midnight on Thursday.
Police said Mr Kuskoff was “highly agitated”, refused to co-operate with officers and threatened to shoot them, after they were called to his home about five hours earlier.
But nearby residents have remembered Mr Kuskoff as a quiet and kind man, who loved his animals.
Next-door neighbour Rick Cheso told The Advertiser that Mr Kuskoff used to give his children Christmas presents for several years.
He said Mr Kuskoff had a large bushy beard that may have appeared terrifying, but he was a good man at heart.
“He was the kindest and most gentle man. He hand fed his animals grain and peas. He loved his animals,” he said.
“He was a very intelligent person, very quiet. He definitely had his own ways of doing things.”
Mr Cheso said Mr Kuskoff had lived next door for about 15 years and had leased a paddock to keep stock. He lived there with his elderly mother who died a few years ago.
The secluded property is about 15km south-east of Tailem Bend off the Mallee Hwy.
Police were called there after reports Mr Kuskoff was making threatening phone calls.
Over the next few hours, STAR Group officers, negotiators and the police helicopter attended the scene.
But the situation escalated when Mr Kuskoff, who was armed with a shotgun, started firing at police while outside his house. STAR Group officers returned fire and fatally wounded Mr Kuskoff.
Forensic officers and State Emergency Service volunteers spent the day scouring the property and collecting evidence.
Assistant Commissioner Bronwyn Killmier said Mr Kuskoff was shot in the chest and arm and died at the scene despite attempts to administer CPR.
“The man was phoning various people and police became aware of it that way,” she said. “He was making threats against a number of people.”
Police said the man was outside the property and had fired a number of shots at police before he was fatally shot.
“A shot was fired towards STAR Group who returned fire, he wasn’t (in the house at the time),” she said.
“Forensics will take a number of days to examine the crime scene because there were a high number of shots fired.”
Ms Killmier said the tragic incident highlighted the dangerous work undertaken by police and thanked officers involved for their “professionalism under extreme pressure”.
“The incident will be thoroughly reviewed by Major Crime Investigation Branch and a report will be prepared for the coroner,” she said.
“We always try to resolve these incidents safely for everyone and it’s not really an outcome we hoped for.
“We attend thousands of mental health incidents every year and our aim is resolve them peacefully at all times.”
An internal report will be prepared for Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.
Nearby resident Sam, who did not provide his surname, said Mr Kuskoff was a “nice, “quiet gentleman” who had been devoted to his mother until she passed away.
“He was a bit reclusive, maybe he needed someone to talk to,” he said.
“He was mostly looking after his cows and sheep.”