Annerley shooting: Police officer shot in on inner-Brisbane street

A police officer is lucky to be alive after being shot by a ‘highly agitated’ patient who fled the emergency department of a Brisbane hospital in a terrifying suburban incident. 

A police officer is lucky to be alive after being shot by a “highly agitated” patient who fled the emergency department of a Brisbane hospital in a terrifying suburban incident. 

Police were called to a home on Tamar St in Annerley on Friday morning when residents spotted a man in their backyard armed with a plank of timber.

Two officers approached and tried to calm the man, but the 26-year-old lunged for a Senior Constable’s weapon and shot him in the inner thigh, forcing the other officer – a first year constable – to shoot the man twice.

Both the officer and the man were rushed to hospital. Doctors said a tourniquet applied to the officer’s leg saved his life.

Queensland Police Union boss Shane Prior said the injured officer thought he was going to die.

“We could seriously be talking about two officers that were maimed or killed today, there was a very real risk of that,” Mr Prior said.

The man had absconded from Princess Alexandra Hospital emergency department on Friday morning after being brought in and treated on Thursday night.

Acting Assistant Comissioner Rhys Wildman. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Acting executive director Dr Kellie Wren said the hospital notified police as soon as they discovered the man had left the emergency department.

The residents of the home – understood to be a mother and two young boys – saw the stranger in their yard about 9am and called police.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman the man was “highly agitated”.

“The male approached the officers and a struggle commenced, and in which case the offender lunged for a firearm belonging to the Senior Constable,” he said.

Queensland Police officers at Tamar Street, Annerley. Picture:NewsWire/ Richard Walker

“During the struggle … the firearm discharged, and the Senior Constable received a gunshot wound to the left inner thigh. The struggle continued and the first year constable was then forced to discharge their firearm and has struck the male (twice).”

After the shooting, another officer  applied a tourniquet to his wounded colleague.

He said the man was still agitated when other officers arrived – despite being shot twice – and was then tasered.

A police officer has been shot during an altercation at Annerley.

“During the incident the first year constable received a bite from the individual male,” Mr Wildman said.

Mr Prior said both officers acted bravely, and doctors told him the tourniquet likely saved the officer’s life.

Nearby resident Sebastian Peeler said he was having  coffee when he heard  shouting.

“He was yelling ‘I’m not dead, you’re dead’, like screaming it out,” Mr Peeler said.

The man was in a serious condition on Friday night, while  officer, 40, was stable.

Originally published as Annerley shooting: Police officer shot in on inner-Brisbane street