This was published 4 years ago
Police gun down man who chased foreign tourists in Brisbane's CBD
By Tony Moore and Toby Crockford
Detectives are investigating four inner-city crime scenes after a 24-year-old knife-wielding man was dramatically shot dead by police after chasing two tourists down Brisbane's Mary Street on Sunday morning.
Witnesses said they counted six shots fired in Mary Street just after 10am, and forensic officers identified bullet fragments in the city street.
The forensic scene where police shot a man dead outside the Westin Hotel on Mary Street in Brisbane's CBD on Sunday.Credit: AAP
Police believe the incidents have been captured on CCTV cameras, Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming confirmed.
"We have officers looking at that now," he said.
The four crime scenes include nearby Market Street, where police located a red sedan driven by the 24-year-old, two scenes in Mary Street, and the dead man's home.
Specialist police investigating the shooting include counter-terrorism experts, however there was no evidence that the incident was linked to terrorism.
A forensics officer examines the scene near the Quest apartments and the Westin Hotel.Credit: Tony Moore
The man was shot dead by a police crew travelling down a busy Mary Street.
Witness Susan Latham said she had just stepped onto her balcony to smoke a cigarette at Oaks Felix hotel, on nearby Felix Street, when she heard gunfire.
"It was one [gunshot], followed by three more, followed by two, all in rapid succession," she said.
"It sounded semi-automatic, it sounded like a police pistol.
"I saw police go over and kick something out of his hand, then they performed CPR on him for probably three to four minutes, and five minutes later, the sheet went over him."
The man had earlier confronted and chased two foreign tourists – a man and a woman – near the corner of Edward and Mary streets, police allege.
The deceased man had two knives, Superintendent Fleming confirmed.
He said police would allege the 24-year-old chased the two tourists, pulled a knife from a bag, then stabbed the male tourist further along Mary Street.
The police patrol then confronted the man in Mary Street and shot him when he ran at them with the knife, Superintendent Fleming said.
"My understanding is that they [the couple] had been in the city centre like ordinary folk walking down the street," he said.
"This other man – who has since died – was walking towards them and that is where he has stopped. They have stopped, thought it was a bit odd, and the interaction has continued from there.
"My understanding is it was about 10.09am or 10.10am when the [police] shooting took place."
Superintendent Fleming earlier said the initial call came from within a nearby Mary Street shop.
What appears to be the remnant of a bullet lies near a police marker on Mary Street.Credit: Tony Moore
"A person from a nearby shop called and advised police there was a male who confronted someone with a knife," he said.
"Subsequent investigations have identified a male and female were walking down the street and they had seen a male person.
"They will allege the male person produced a knife. As they both turned to flee, the female got away. The male [tourist] was chased by the male person.
"A short distance later, the male stopped because he thought the male chasing him had stopped. At that time, he was struck in the face, and it turns out he now has a broken nose and an injured lip."
Superintendent Fleming said the male tourist turned to run again and felt "something sharp in his back".
"We now believe he has been stabbed," Superintendent Fleming said.
The male tourist was taken to hospital and had a wound closed with a single stitch.
Police have identified the red car the deceased 24-year-old used to drive to the city, Superintendent Fleming said.
"We believe the person was in that vehicle alone," he said.
The Superintendent confirmed the man was "known to police", but declined to elaborate.
"Tragically, a man has died, but it is my understanding that what the police were confronted with today was a life-and-death situation to them," he said.
Police Ethical Standards Command, the police coroner's office, and the Crime and Corruption Commission are now investigating the police shooting.