Sister of Steven Angus says questions need to be answered about his death in wake of Grange shooting

The sister of North Qld man shot dead by police after his release from hospital has been forced to relive the excruciating “pain” of her brother’s loss, after Sunday’s fatal shooting in Brisbane.

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The sister of a North Queensland man shot dead by police says she relived the excruciating “pain” of her brother’s loss just weeks later, after another man was killed by officers in the southeast.

Steven Angus, 52, was shot by police in Townsville on April 21, just hours after he was released from Townsville University Hospital after trying to take his own life.

Four weeks later, a 29-year-old man was shot dead by police in Grange on Sunday when he lunged at officers with a knife and pitchfork, just a day after he was released from hospital for a mental health incident.

Mr Angus' sister, Linda Angus, said watching it happen again in similar circumstances had re-traumatised her, and she felt deep sadness for the man’s family.

“Seeing the pictures of his family in their shock and grief was deja vu,” she said.

“I felt I was reliving the death of my brother all over again … I cried when I saw the raw pain and horror of the woman in the photo.”

Linda Angus with her brother Steven Angus, who was shot by police in Townsville in April.

Mr Angus, a veteran, was taken to hospital on April 20 after a two-hour siege with police at a Kirwan house where he was trying to harm himself.

The Courier-Mail revealed Mr Angus was meant to be transferred to Townsville Private Clinic after sobering up at the public hospital, but he was never moved there, and instead released into the community the next day.

Just hours later, Mr Angus was again threatening self-harm and police were called to his house for the second day in a row.

But this time, Mr Angus was armed with knives and ran at police when he was fatally shot in the chest.

Steven Angus (right) was fatally shot by police at a Kirwan house in April.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes has committed to a full investigation into Mr Angus’ care, which is due to be completed soon.

Ms Angus said there were questions to be answered by both the health system, and Queensland Police Service (QPS).

“If the health system doesn’t believe an individual is a threat to themselves or others, then they are released. We are still trying to figure out the breakdown of why my brother wasn’t transferred to the clinic,” Ms Angus said.

“It was the QPS who pulled the trigger, they hold an enormous responsibility for my brother and this other man’s death.”

On Sunday, police were called to a house in Grange where they received reports a man armed with a knife was trying to stab his father.

The 29-year-old man lunged at police with a pitchfork and knives, and was fatally shot by officers.

Family and friends at the house in Grange where a man was shot dead by police. Picture: Richard Walker

Family and friends of a man shot dead by police at a house in Grange on Sunday. Picture: Richard Walker

Paramedics were called to a mental health incident involving the same 29-year-old man a day earlier and took him to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, but was released.

Metro North Hospital and Health Service chief operating officer Jane Hancock committed to a clinical review.

Ms Angus questioned why both men were fatally shot, instead of being shot in a limb or tasered.

It’s understood police tried to taser the Grange man, but it was ineffective.

“Is the QPS self defence training and body armour insufficient for them to think the only way to protect themselves is to shoot them dead?”

QPS Commissioner Katarina Carroll said sometimes police have “little options”.

“When police go to such a tragic event … when a knife or a pitchfork is coming at you … you have little options sometimes.”

Ms Angus said it was extremely painful to hear her brother be described as a potential police killer, when he was battling the invisible disease of mental health issues.

Steven Angus (right) was fatally shot by police at a Kirwan house in April.

“Social media jumped all over this and dragged his name through the mud.”

Mr Angus signed up for the Australian Defence Force and was medically discharged in 2017.

Queensland Police have committed to a full Ethical Standards Command investigation into both shootings.