‘Worst nightmare’: Armed man shot dead after cop’s taser failed

Police shot dead a man in South Brisbane after he opened the door of a patrol vehicle and lunged at an officer with a metal rod. Police had been called to reports a man fell through a roof and was trying to assault people.

Police shot dead a man outside South Brisbane’s The Greek Club after he opened the rear door of a patrol vehicle and lunged at one officer with a metal rod.

Detectives were on Tuesday night investigating whether the man was the same person who, an hour earlier, fell through the ceiling of a nearby business before attempting to assault people inside.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said two officers opened fire on the man, firing a total of three shots, after an attempt to subdue him with a taser was unsuccessful.

He said both officers were “to a degree traumatised” by what happened and were receiving support.

Police at the scene of the South Brisbane shooting. Picture: Liam Kidston

Police were called to a business on Fish Lane at South Brisbane about 2pm where a man was believed to be inside the roof cavity.

“Police attended shortly thereafter, as the information was that this male had fallen through the roof and was attempting to assault people at that business,” Det Supt Massingham said.

“That person left the scene prior to police arrival.”

An hour later, police were called to Edmondstone St, about 700m away, with a member of the public reporting a man acting strangely.

Police taped off the area for several hours. Picture: Liam Kidston

Det Supt Massingham said the man matched the description – including his clothing – of the man who fell through the roof of the business.

“The second call for service in relation to his behaviour on this street was that he was acting irrationally and that he was attempting to pull his pants down,” he said.

“The person that did observe this believed he may have been suffering some form of intoxication, but as to whether he was drug-affected or intoxicated, it’s too early to tell.”

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham at the scene. Picture: Lachie Millard

Det Supt Massingham said two police officers in a van pulled up alongside the man, who opened the back door of the vehicle.

“That male person has attempted to enter the rear door of the police van,” he said.

“At that time, he was confronted by the male officer, who had alighted from the driver’s side of the police van.”

He said the man rushed at the police officer in an “aggressive manner”.

“At that time, the officer saw that he was armed with a 30cm metal rod with a handle attached,” Det Supt Massingham said.

The two officers, a male and female senior constable, fired their weapons after a taser was unsuccessful.

“Both firearms were discharged with a total of, we believe, three shots at this stage.

“The male person fell to the ground.”

The man was killed after opening the rear door of a patrol vehicle and rushed at police. Picture: Lachie Millard

He said police immediately performed first aid, including CPR.

Det Supt Massingham said both officers would be interviewed by Ethical Standards Command and would participate in “walk-throughs”.

“No one wants to come to work and have this happen,” he said.

“Both officers have been taken from the scene now.

“They are obviously upset and to a degree traumatised as to what’s happened.”

Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers said the male officer driving the vehicle tried to communicate with the man but “immediately found himself in a violent struggle with this person”.

“A female Senior Constable has got out of the police vehicle and deployed her taser, which has been ineffective,” Mr Leavers said.

“We know the male officer has tried to kick this person away but he has come back at them with the ... weapon, they have both drawn their firearms and they’ve been forced to use them.

“This is a police officer’s worst nightmare.”

Multiple emergency crews were called to the scene. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Leavers said the decision for police to use their guns was a “last resort”.

“We are very lucky we don’t have two murdered police here today who were just simply doing their jobs.”

He said body worn camera and CCTV footage would help inform why two police officers who “were simply just doing their job” were forced to gun down the man, and that the thoughts of the police union and other officers were with the two officers involved.

Multiple ambulances, including a High Acuity Response Unit, also attempted to help the man, but he died at the scene.

One witness from a nearby business said she and others hid inside after hearing the gunshots.

“Our manager was outside when he heard the shots and then screamed ‘everyone get down’,” the woman said.

“We all hid in an office for about 10 minutes because we thought it might have been a crazed gunman.”

Throughout the afternoon, police were seen entering the Woolworths building on Fish Lane, where it is believed the man fell through the ceiling.

Police were last night working to identify the man, believed to be in his 30s.

His death will be investigated by the police Ethical Standards Command, with oversight by the coroner and the Crime and Corruption Commission.

It is the latest in a spate of police shootings in Queensland:

August 21: Police shot 43-year-old Wenlong Li at Stretton after he allegedly lunged at them with a knife. Li survived and was charged with serious assault of a police officer while armed.

August 21: Police attending a house in Coomera for a welfare check were confronted by a 29-year-old man wielding a knife. He was shot but survived. He was given a notice to appear for serious assault a police officer, going armed so as to cause fear, possession of a knife in a public place and possess utensils or pipes.

September 7: A 38-year-old Kangaroo Point man was shot once in the abdomen after he allegedly stabbed a police officer in the chin. Police had been at a unit in the man’s complex executing a search warrant when the man allegedly attacked. He has been charged with attempted murder and two counts of serious assault of a police officer.

October 1: Police fatally shot 24-year-old Luke Gilbert at Airlie Beach after he allegedly lunged at officers while armed with a knife in the tourism centre’s main street about 12:20am.

Police immediately began CPR on Mr Gilbert, who had been working in Townsville and was on a night out in the coastal party strip. when the tragedy unfolded but he died a short time later.