Police allege man threatened officers and paramedics with a knife before being shot

Police allege a 56-year-old man armed himself with a large cane knife before he was fatally shot by police in North Queensland today. 

Emergency services were called to a disturbance at the back of a motel in Herbert Street, Bowen at 5.30am. 

Mackay District Officer Superintendent Graeme Paine said members of the public were concerned about the erratic behaviour of the naked man and some of the things he was saying. 

Ambulance officers accompanied the man inside a unit of the motel, where police allege the man armed himself. 

"The male has then come out of the unit holding the cane knife and swinging it around," Superintendent Paine said. 

"He's approached two police officers that were standing outside the unit, the officers have given some verbal commands for the man to drop the knife. 

"He's continued to approach the officers, one officer has discharged a firearm striking the male in the chest."

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said as the cane knife struck an officer's hand, she fired one round from her gun. 

First-aid was provided to the man but he died at the scene. 

The 56-year-old was from Gordonvale and had no links to Bowen, according to Mr Leavers. 

Police would not provide details of the man's background. 

"There's nothing from our perspective at this stage to indicate that there's any threat or concern outside of the actual statements of the person," Superintendent Paine said. 

Investigation underway

Mr Leavers said the incident had unfolded quickly. 

"It is simply not an option."

Superintendent Paine said the deployment of a taser was based on the interpretation of the officers at the time. 

"That threat assessment is based on a wide range of factors," he said. 

"Those factors could include the distance where someone is, the speed that it's happening, the weapon that the person has, that will inform whether the officer feels it's more important to use capsicum spray or a taser or a firearm."

Mr Leavers said the police officer involved was still in the early years of her career. 

"She's a constable and she has I believe four years experience and she's a very well-respected, decent police officer," he said.

The Ethical Standards Command is en route to Bowen to investigate the incident and a report will be prepared for the coroner.  

Shootings not taken lightly

Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy said using a firearm was not a decision that was made lightly. 

"It's a terrible situation for the family and for the male person who's passed away, and it's a terrible situation for our police to be in," he said.

"No police officer wants to be placed in that situation."

Shadow Minister for Police Dale Last said the shooting had rocked residents of the seaside community.

"For this to occur just as we're running into Christmas would be a huge shock," Mr Last said.

Data analysis by the ABC revealed that in 2022–23, Queensland police shot 14 people, more than the rest of Australia combined.

This man is the third person in the Mackay Whitsunday district to have been fatally shot by police in the past 16 months.

Luke Gilbert, 24, was killed in Airlie Beach shortly after midnight on October 1, 2022.

Several months later on November 21, 2022 a 24-year-old man was shot outside the Mackay Base Hospital.