General News
29 March, 2020
Armed fugitive shot by police
A man has been shot by police this afternoon following a siege near Cairns today.
A man has been shot by police this afternoon following a siege near Cairns today.
Around 4:30am, the man allegedly attempted to break into an infrastructure facility off the Captain Cook Highway at Palm Cove.
The man was disturbed by a nearby resident and left the scene. As the man was leaving in his car, he deliberately collided with a police vehicle attending the incident.
Officers immediately requested further assistance and multiple crews responded.
A short time later at Smithfield the man allegedly deliberately veered towards a police officer on the side of the road.
As a result, a 26-year-old constable suffered a suspected broken wrist and other non-life-threatening injuries.
The man’s vehicle stopped on the Captain Cook Highway at Yorkeys Knob where he allegedly set it fire to the vehicle.
As police approached, the man allegedly produced a firearm and discharged a shot towards officers prior to running from his vehicle.
Police established a cordon around an area to the west of the Captain Cook Highway to contain the man.
While trying to identify the man’s whereabouts among the long grass, several shots were allegedly fired towards police and a helicopter.
Around 3.15pm, it's alleged the man was in waist deep water and raised the firearm towards police. As a result, the man was critically injured when police returned fire.
The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
This matter is now under investigation by Ethical Standards Command on behalf of the State Coroner. That investigation is subject to oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission
