Man shot dead by police at Mareeba in far north Queensland
The man who was shot dead by police west of Cairns on Saturday has been identified. It comes as his family joined other community members at a meeting with police today.
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The man who was shot dead by police west of Cairns on Saturday has been identified as Aubrey Donahue as his family demand police release body cam footage of the shooting.
Victoria Van Schie, a relative of the 28-year-old Mareeba man, alleged that police “shot to kill, not to subdue” instead of de-escalating a mental health call out.
“Our beautiful boy is gone,” she said.
“There was no DV situation as has been reported to date ... we want police to release the body cam footage to us, we will review it,” she said.
“He had his whole life ahead of him and it’s been stolen.”
Ms Van Schie disputed police allegations Mr Donahue had a knife when they shot him, only when he threatened to self harm.
“He had no knife. He had his mobile phone in his hand.”
She went on to say that Brisbane communities will march in protest of Mr Donahue’s death. Mr Donahue was shot dead by police after officers who were called to an incident west of Cairns on Saturday.
Police attended an address on Love St at Mareeba just before 11.30am following reports a man had threatened self-harm.
Negotiators were called in to talk to the man, who was allegedly refusing to let a woman leave the scene.
After several hours, police allege the man advanced on officers while armed with a knife.
He was shot by police about 3.30pm. First aid was applied but he died at the scene.
Emotions were high near the scene of the shooting as angry crowds gathered.
Neighbour Rashad Miles said he heard the commotion on Saturday.
“I heard them knocking down the door, and then I heard three gunshots,” he said.
“They didn’t come out for a while. Then I saw one of them come out screaming for a medic.”
Mr Miles said about 60 people then ran to the street, shouting and screaming, demanding to get access to the house.
“When everyone in Mareeba found out, they were all up the road,” he said.
Another neighbour, Jenny, said her and her family felt scared.
“There were three gunshots, around 3.30pm. We heard a lady screaming, saying ‘They shot my son’,” she said.
“The emotions were really bad, other people were swearing at the cops. We had never heard people swearing at the cops like that.
“I was scared.”
Community members gathered at a meeting in town this afternoon to hear from police
More than 100 people packed the small hall, and many expressed their anger.
“Where is the police officer in charge? We want him here,” one lady shouted.
Acting Far North Police District Superintendent Kevin Goan addressed the meeting, held at the Aboriginal & Islander Christian Fellowship Mareeba Community Church.
He was joined by Detective Inspector and Senior Investigator for the QPS Ethical Standards Command Lisa Scully who he said had responsibility over the “tragic” shooting.
Superintendent Goan said it would be improper to discuss anything surrounding what occurred on Saturday and that all information about the shooting, including body cam footage, was property of the coroner.
“I will not be talking to you or answering questions about the whys and wherefores of what happened yesterday, is that understood?” he said.
He said that the decision to pursue an independent investigation into Mr Donahue’s death was up to the family.
“The information that is given by the investigative team to the coroner will be available to the barristers and legal representatives of the family and they can make the application for that.”
Community membes described Mr Donahue as the soul of the community and questioned why a specialist force was not capable of firing a non-fatal shot.
“I can’t comment on that other than to say these are very important questions ... these are the questions that need to be presented to the coroner.”
In an emotional video posted by Mr Donahue’s Auntie Jeanne Lyall on Saturday she questioned why he was not shot in a leg or arm.
“What I had to hear was my little sister out a house where she’s not allowed in because her dead son’s body’s in there,” she said.
At a police press conference on Sunday afternoon, Detective Acting Inspector Sonia Smith said the Ethical Standards Command was investigating the shooting, which was standard procedure.
She said police were responding to a domestic violence incident and declined to comment on claims the man was holding a phone and not a knife when he was shot.
Supt Smith also declined to comment on how many times the man was shot.
The investigation is subject to oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
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