August 10, 2024
A South Burnett man, allegedly wielding a knife, was shot and critically wounded by police at Kingaroy Hospital on Friday night.
Police were called after an alleged incident at the hospital about 7:20pm.
A police spokesperson said the man, aged in his 50s, threatened police officers with a knife outside the hospital before being shot near the entrance.
The shooting occurred after police were called to the hospital by staff members concerned about the man’s behaviour inside the building.
Five local police officers attended the incident.
“Medical assistance was immediately provided to the man before he was airlifted to the Sunshine Coast Hospital,” the spokesperson said.
The hospital was placed into lockdown after the incident.
Detective Superintendent George Marchesini, speaking at a media conference in Kingaroy on Saturday morning, said the shot man was known to police.
The man was currently in a critical but stable condition after surgery at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Det Supt Marchesini – the Regional Crime co-ordinator for the Southern Police Region – could not confirm how many shots were fired, or if the officer involved in the shooting was female.
However, he said it had been a traumatic incident for everyone involved and the police officers were receiving professional support.
“There is no other threat to the community,” Det Supt Marchesini said.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers, speaking later to media, said police officers had attempted to negotiate with the man before deploying a taser.
Mr Leavers said they then fired a single shot and the taser was used again to disable him.
A crime scene has been declared and police investigations are continuing.
At 10:00am on Saturday, the front of the hospital was still taped off with a police officer guarding the scene.
All police shootings are investigated by the Ethical Standards Command, with investigations subject to oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
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