Tiaro shooting: Man shot at ex, kids and cops before death

A man killed by specialist police on Saturday had fired a rifle at his ex-partner and her children, before shooting at a neighbour and police.

Police on scene following a shooting at Tiaro, south of Maryborough. Picture: Cody Fox

SPECIALIST police have killed an armed man who shot his rifle at his ex-partner and her three children after a domestic dispute escalated in Tiaro, south of Maryborough.

Officers were told Ben Freear, 40, was driving a vehicle around Tiaro, on the Fraser Coast, armed with a .303 rifle about 8.30pm on Saturday.

Tiaro man Ben Freear was shot by police in Tiaro. Picture Facebook

Superintendent Craig Hawkins said the man appeared to have fired several shots at his ex-partner and her children after a dispute. She was attempting to leave when the car was shot. Her vehicle was later found with a bullet hole.

“As a result of that, several more incidents came in after that where shots were allegedly being fired by the same man at a neighbour and also when he attempted to get fuel from another person,” he said.

Specialist police including Polair tracked the man to an address at Glenbar Rd at Tiaro early yesterday and he was killed by officers in the Special Emergency Response Team.

Supt Hawkins said the man was in a vehicle in an “elevated position” when police arrived and he fired at them, striking an armoured police vehicle with bullets. Freear was said to be driving at a police vehicle firing his weapon when officers shot him.

Supt Hawkins confirmed the man had a dispute with his ex-partner, which led to him firing at her vehicle. Supt Hawkins said the man was known to police.

Freear had shot at his ex-partner and police before his death.

“We are very fortunate on this occasion that no police ­officer has been killed or injured,” he said. “And similarly the cars of both his ex-partner and also (the vehicle of) another associate that has also been struck by the weapon that this person has discharged.”

The Ethical Standards Command will investigate on behalf of the Coroner, police said in a statement.

Queensland Police Union secretary Mick Barnes said police involved had acted bravely and appropriately.

“The offender, who was ­earlier involved in a domestic violence incident, was armed with a firearm and was shooting at both members of the public and police which meant police were left with no other option than to act in self-defence and to also protect the public,” he said.

“We are extremely lucky that police and members of the public were not killed or seriously injured by the offender,” he said.

“We know all police acted appropriately and as such the Ethical Standards Command of the police service are undertaking a routine investigation of the matter and will report to the Coroner.”

Originally published as Tiaro shooting: Man shot at ex, kids and cops before death