Why hospital released vulnerable veteran hours before he was shot dead by police

New details have emerged about the release of a vulnerable veteran from a Queensland hospital just nine hours before he was shot and killed by police.

A Townsville hospital released a vulnerable veteran nine hours before he was shot and killed by police because he was too intoxicated to treat, it can be revealed.

Townsville University Hospital has come under fire for their treatment of Steven Angus, 52, and are doing a full clinical review following his death on Friday.

Mr Angus was threatening to harm himself during a two-hour siege with police at a home in Kirwan on Thursday, but officers resolved it safely and he was sent to hospital while intoxicated that evening.

Just before 8am on Friday, the hospital released Mr Angus without any relevant treatment and nine hours later he would be shot dead.

Steve Angus was released from Townsville University Hospital just hours before he was shot dead by police.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes has since committed to an investigation into the decision to release Mr Angus.

But Veterans Benefits Australia founder Tom Bailey said there needed to be better information sharing between agencies.

“In an ideal world there would be some kind of patient handover provided,” Mr Bailey said.

“A lot of responsibility should fall on Australian Defence Force (ADF) for the after-care (of a veteran),” Mr Bailey said.

After Mr Angus was released from hospital, police were called back to the same house just before 5pm on Friday where he was threatening to harm himself.

This time, Mr Angus was armed with knives when he ran at police, forcing an officer to shoot him multiple times in the chest.

Police at the scene of the fatal shooting in Townsville. Picture: Caitlan Charles

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers believes Mr Angus would still be alive if he had been given “proper care”.

“A failure to share information resulted in no-one knowing if this man was vulnerable, required further support or at high risk if he again interacted with police,” Mr Leavers said.

“Police have now been put into a traumatic situation that could have been avoided.”

Mr Angus, a former ADF member, is the second Townsville veteran to die after a police siege in just weeks.

Last month, a Kirwan veteran took his own life during a police siege.

More than one third of the ADF are based in Townsville.

Mr Bailey, whose friend took their own life a day after being discharged from the army, said it was a “horrendous” outcome.

Mr Bailey said better transitional programs were needed to help veterans adjust to normal life.

“There needs to be more community around transitioning out, more emphasis … often they lose their sense of community and purpose,” he said.

Mr Angus’s mother was contacted but she did not wish to comment on her son’s tragic death.