Man set to be charged with friend’s murder after wild stand-off

Incredible photos have emerged of a wild stand-off between police and a knife-wielding man on the roof of a Tamworth home.

A man has been found dead and another is set to be charged with his murder after a wild series of events that played out in front of shocked locals in Tamworth.

Peter Douglas Neilson, 54, kept police at bay for more than an hour as he allegedly stood wearing wielding a knife atop the roof of a Goonoo Goonoo Rd home on Saturday.

NSW Police had been called to the home about 4.30pm after receiving a concern for welfare call and, when they arrived, found Rick Gardland, 47, suffering from serious head injuries.

Mr Garland was rushed to Tamworth Base Hospital but died a short time later.

As officers tried to approach Neilson, he allegedly locked himself in a bedroom before climbing out onto the roof as riot squad officers gathered beneath him and, from a distance, neighbours filmed on their phones.

A man has died and another man is in custody after a dramatic police stand-off in northeast NSW. Picture: Tamworth 88.9FM

Incredible video taken by locals showed Neilson, standing barefoot but in board shorts, a T-shirt and puffer jacket, refusing to come down.

The stand-off ultimately ended when a policeman carrying a riot shield and armed with a Taser rushed onto the roof, resulting in Neilson allegedly trying to flee but falling off in the process.

Oxford Police District Detective Inspector Tom Aylett said Neilson was treated at the scene for self-inflicted stab wounds before being taken initially to Tamworth Hospital and later airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle under police guard.

Det Insp Aylet said Neilson would be charged with “the murder of that male (Mr Garland) that’s since passed away” in the coming days and revealed the two had been “friends” for a number of years.

“They’re friends... we understand that they were known to each other for a number of years,” he said.

“There’s no domestic relationship, they were just simply acquaintances that were known to each other.”

Det Insp Aylett said the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad was assisting local detectives with their investigation.

He said after the initial stand-off, police were forced to rush onto the roof when it became apparent Neilson was himself injured, and revealed officers deployed not only a Taser, but non-lethal “bean bag rounds”.

“A Taser was deployed to apprehend that male and some bean bag rounds from our tactical operation response team that’s based here in the region,” he said.

“They were utilised, along with police negotiators and other methods to try and get that male to come down.

A 55-year-old man (pictured) was taken into custody after falling off the roof and remains under police guard in hospital. Picture: Tamworth 88.9FM

“As I said, once information was received that he was observed to be harming himself, those non-lethal weapons or non-lethal options were utilised to apprehend that male ... we have an obligation to protect life and property, including his own.”

Investigators have so far been unable to interview Neilson as he recovers in hospital, but Det Insp Aylett said they had been interviewing others who knew the pair to gain an idea of what may have led to the incident.

“We’re speaking with a number of witnesses at the time and we’re satisfied that the person that was involved in causing those injuries is in police custody,” he said. 

Neilson remains under police guard in Tamworth Base Hospital, and no charges have been laid.

Originally published as Man set to be charged with friend’s murder after wild stand-off