Second police shooting in three weeks

Release Date: Sunday, February 13 2011, 10:17 AM

Police have discharged a firearm following a disturbance in Wanniassa earlier this morning (Sunday, February 13).

About 5am ACT Policing responded to a report of a disturbance where a man was armed with a knife and a meat cleaver in Riddell Court.

Police were speaking to the man for approximately half an hour while he was still in the house. The man has exited the house armed with the knife and meat cleaver.
                                      
Police made numerous requests for the 27-year-old man to drop his weapons and have withdrawn to approximately 300 metres away with the man following and continually approaching them. All the while police were calling on the man to drop the knife and meat cleaver.

The man has then lunged at the police officer who has fired one shot from his service pistol.

The man was given first aid by the attending police officers and was later treated at the scene by ACT Ambulance Service. He has died at the scene.

This incident is being investigated by ACT Policing Criminal Investigations Team, on behalf of the Coroner, with AFP’s Professional Standards Unit overseeing the matter.

Wheeler Crescent, between Derham Court and McBride Crescent, will be closed for several hours as police investigate the incident.