‘Split second decision’: Man shot dead after threatening police with bow and arrow

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A man has been shot dead after aiming a bow and arrow at police who were conducting a concern for welfare check at a rural property in NSW.

Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the man was killed in a “split-second decision” by one of the officers attending the home on Quia Road in Gunnedah, about 75 kilometres west of Tamworth, on Friday afternoon.

Police were speaking to the man outside the home before he went back inside and re-emerged with the bow and arrow.

Holland said the man pointed the bow and arrow at them as they retreated behind their vehicle and an officer discharged their gun. The man was shot once, and died at the scene after being treated by paramedics.

“These matters, obviously, are split-second decisions by police on the scene,” Holland told reporters in Gunnedah.

“The actions of police will be determined by the critical incident investigation.”

A critical incident team from State Crime Command’s homicide squad will lead the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. Detectives are travelling to Gunnedah from Sydney on Friday evening, and the investigation is expected to take several days.

Western Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland.

The investigation will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command with oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.

The officers attended the property after locals reported the man was standing on the road and blocking traffic in both directions, a police source with knowledge of the incident told the Herald. Quia Road is a two-lane rural road with a 100km/h speed limit, allowing one lane of travel in each direction.

Holland said the mental health of the man killed will form part of police inquiries, and that his family were being spoken to by officers on Friday. He wouldn’t offer further details about the man’s age or identity.

It comes almost five months after two Victorian police officers were shot dead on a rural property in that state’s alpine region.

The alleged shooter Dezi Freeman has remained at large despite an exhaustive law enforcement effort to find him.

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