Police have detailed the moments leading up to a critical incident in which a 27-year-old man was shot and critically injured by a female officer in Fairfield on Thursday evening. The man was shot twice in the torso and once in the arm on Lawson Street around 7:30pm, and remains in hospital after emergency surgery.
Disturbance Call and Bloodied Doorway
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said at a press conference on Friday that a community member reported a “violent disturbance in a unit.” Officers arrived within minutes and heard “the sound of agitated voices coming from inside” the first-floor unit. As they approached the door, they observed “blood over the threshold of the doorway and inside the unit.” It is not yet clear whose blood it was.
Interaction with Two Men on CCTV
Investigations are reviewing CCTV footage that captured two men interacting with the 27-year-old man outside the unit minutes before police arrived. The footage also shows the man climbing over his balcony, impacting the ground, and then returning to the unit. McFadden said the circumstances of that action—whether voluntary or in response to the other two men—will be investigated. The nature of the interaction is unclear but is “likely to be the stimulus” for the triple-0 call. The two men were not present when police arrived.
Man Charged at Officer
When police announced their presence, the man came onto the narrow balcony and began verbally challenging them. He then “charged” toward a young female constable, who began moving backward. The constable discharged her firearm, but the man “continued on after the shots were fired, knocking the officer on the ground.” Two other officers restrained him and provided first aid. He was given a “green light corridor” to hospital.
Officer's Actions Supported
When asked why a firearm was used instead of a Taser, McFadden cited “the volatile nature of the calls for service that police are called to on a daily basis, and how quickly those circumstances can escalate.” He expressed full support for the officer, noting “the level of violence described by the member of the community” and “the evidence of blood on the doorway.”
Investigation Underway
The man has a “complex background” and is known to police. A critical incident team is leading the investigation, which will be independently reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC). Body-worn camera footage from all three officers has been reviewed by investigators and LECC; McFadden was set to view it on Friday.
