The ACT's chief police officer has revealed that a patient at Canberra Hospital produced a second knife that had not been detected during an earlier police search, leading to a three-hour standoff. Deputy Commissioner Scott Lee said the 35-year-old man was searched before being taken to the hospital's Behavioural Assessment Unit on Wednesday afternoon, and a knife was confiscated. However, once inside the unit, the man produced another knife that he had hidden, forcing eight staff to shelter in a secure room.
Deputy Commissioner Lee explained that a pat-down search would not have located the hidden knife due to its placement on the man's body. He stated that a strip-search was not appropriate under mental health legislation or given the environment. The use of metal detectors, or 'wanding', is typically reserved for criminal offences, and this was initially a mental health issue.
Australian Federal Police negotiators and tactical response team members were called to the unit. After negotiations failed, officers used a 'flashbang grenade' to disorient the man and safely disarm him. Deputy Commissioner Lee acknowledged the incident was traumatic for staff, who were confined for an extended period.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced a joint review with ACT Policing into the incident. She questioned the length of time spent negotiating with someone in severe psychiatric distress and emphasized that no judgments are being made until the review is complete. Canberra Health Services deputy chief executive officer Liz Lopa noted that staff had previously raised concerns about the room's single entry and exit point, and architects had been working on adding a second door.
