Police Commissioner Grant Stevens says fatal Craigburn Farm shooting ‘traumatic’ for officers, revealing own close call

Grant Stevens has opened up about drawing his gun in a terror bank robbery – and says a recent fatal shooting was ‘traumatic’ for officers.

This week’s fatal police shooting of a 40-year-old man who threatened officers with a knife at a southern suburbs home has led Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to reflect on a bank robbery during his career when he was forced to draw his own gun.

Mr Stevens revealed to The Advertiser he was forced to reach for his weapon, but did not fire, when he was a frontline officer in the late 1980s.

“It was a bank robbery, where we were first on scene and I happened to be the one that tracked down the offender,” he said.

“There was a confrontation, which ended peacefully and safely,” he said.

On Wednesday just after midnight, emergency services received a call from the man’s girlfriend after he had harmed himself while on a video call with her and was threatening to harm himself further.

When police and SA Ambulance services arrived at the Highfield Dr, Craigburn Farm address, the 40-year-old man allegedly threatened them with a knife.

Police deployed a taser, however the man allegedly continued to threaten patrols with the knife before officers then discharged firearms.

The man was on the premises alone at the time of the incident.

South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has shared his own experience dealing with danger on the job. Picture: Tom Huntley

Reflecting on his own experience in the 1980s, Mr Stevens said he was fortunate enough to avoid psychological harm.

“I don’t feel like I’ve had any sort of significant psychological impacts from the work that I’ve done as a police officer – that’s not to say I’m tougher or stronger or more robust than anyone,” he said.

“It may have been my family network, my friendship network, my colleagues and there have been a couple of incidents where the police psychologists have proactively reached out to me.”

The Commissioner said none of the officers involved in the Craigburn Farm incident have been stood down while the extensive inquiry was underway to establish what occurred that night.

“This is about looking after them,” Mr Stevens said.

“This is a significant incident and I’m sure you could imagine how difficult and traumatic it would be to deal with having been involved in an event like that … our job is to make sure they get the support they need.”

“I don’t think any of them are back at work since the event – and we don’t expect that – but we’ll be working with each of those officers to make sure that they’re managing the aftermath of that as best as they possibly can so it doesn’t impact on their wellbeing.”

The house has three storeys overlooking the Sturt Gorge. Picture: Dean Martin

Perched on Highfield Drive, the luxury three-storey family home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms along with stunning balcony views of Sturt Gorge.

Built in 2008, the home has been sold multiple times over the past decade and is currently owned by Ting Lu, who bought the property for $1.75m last March. Mr Lu was not the man shot by police.

It’s one of many situated along the picturesque street and remained empty the following morning of the tragic shooting.

With house slippers left by the front door and a car still in the driveway, its hard to imagine the horror that unfolded inside.

The scene and house at 28 Highfield Drive Craigburn Farm, where a police shooting in a mental health case, took place. Picture: Dean Martin

Residents in the otherwise peaceful neighbourhood were still in disbelief on Wednesday with little known about their former neighbour.

“It’s one of those houses that you don’t see so much because of the angle, so it’s a bit hidden,” one longtime resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Advertiser.

“I never saw any other people (living there). I think I saw him once going into the house.

“It was so weird because you don’t expect that sort of thing to happen here, but I suppose everyone has mental health issues – they don’t discriminate.”

Mr Stevens said this incident serves as a stark reminder of dangers and risk in policing, as well as the lives they’ve lost.

“Every police officer who turns up to work, has in the back of their mind that there is a potential to be involved in an incident that requires you to use your tactical options, which includes a firearm,” he said.

“We had the incident at Crystal Brook with the two police officers who were confronted by a man with a knife and were required to use their firearm for their own protection. We had the incident at Senior where Jason Doig was killed and the offender was shot by police.

“These incidents don’t happen everyday, but it is a very strong reminder that what we do has an element of danger.”

Originally published as Police Commissioner Grant Stevens says fatal Craigburn Farm shooting ‘traumatic’ for officers, revealing own close call