Police shoot and kill man armed with meat tenderiser and hammer
A man with known-mental health issues “acting erratically” allegedly ran at police with a meat tenderiser and a hammer before he was shot and killed in southern Sydney overnight.
Police & Courts
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A man with known-mental health issues “acting erratically” allegedly ran at police with a meat tenderiser and a hammer before he was shot and killed in southern Sydney overnight.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said the 51-year-old man was behaving unpredictably at a Brighton Le Sands home just after 9pm on Sunday.
Officers received a call from a person known to the man who was concerned for his welfare.
After his location was found by mobile phone towers, a police helicopter and the dog unit searched bushland near Bay Street in Rockdale, before they located the man allegedly armed with the weapons about 12.30am.
“I was advised they tried to engage the man in conversation,” Assistant Commissioner Willing said.
“He eventually ran at police officers armed with a meat tenderiser and a hammer. Officers attempted to taser the man and that was unsuccessful before an officer fired a single shot that struck him. It happened in split seconds.”
He said about ten officers were at the scene.
Assistant Commissioner Willing said police provided first aid to the man before he was taken by ambulance to St George Hospital and pronounced dead.
He had watched the video from the officer’s body-worn camera but would not comment on whether reasonable force was used by the officer.
“That’s for the coroner to say,” Assistant Commissioner Willing said.
“Our thoughts are obviously with those that know this man. We’re doing all we can to take care of the officers involved. It’s a terrible set of circumstances. We have a number of mechanisms we can put in place to ensure that the officer’s welfare is taken care of and we’re doing that as we speak.”
Assistant Commissioner Willing would not say if the officer had been stood down from duties.
The Homicide Squad is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Their investigation will be subject to an independent review. Following this, the coroner will determine the cause of death and make any findings about the events leading to the man’s death.