Man Dies, Officer Injured in Queensland Shooting Incident

A 45-year-old man has died and a police officer is in a stable condition after a shooting incident at Yengarie, west of Maryborough, on Friday night. Police were responding to a domestic violence report when the man allegedly shot at officers.

Police officers were called to an address on Horizon Court in Yengarie, at 5:44pm on Friday following reports of a domestic violence matter. Police allege a 45-year-old man approached officers on their arrival and shot at them multiple times, hitting a 36-year-old first-year constable in the leg. The officer was dragged to safety by other officers and flown to Brisbane, where he is in a stable condition.

A Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) was declared shortly after, and at 9:21pm specialised police attended the address, where they said they found the man deceased in a shed on the property around 11pm. Two adult women and two children were confirmed to be at the address during the incident but later "self extracted" from the property and were unharmed. The man was known to police and did not hold a weapons licence.

Inspector Paul Algie said he was "incredibly proud" of the actions of the officers on the ground. "The officers that were working with the first-year constable that was shot saved his life through their heroic actions." Inspector Algie said it had been the officer's final shift in Maryborough before being transferred out west. "He will now have a long recuperation but I am so incredibly thankful that he has survived," he said.

'A volley of shots'

Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said the incident had sent a "chill" down his spine. "When police arrived at the address they were immediately set upon by a volley of shots by a rifle," he said. "Hearing the extent of his injuries and what his mates had to do to get him out of harms way. "Make no mistake, this will be a long road of recovery for this police officer." Mr Prior said the officer had spent "the better part of the day" in surgery but was now able to sit up. He said police were seeing an "increased use of violence" towards officers. "We're facing an environment which is increasingly dangerous." An Ethical Standards Command investigation is underway.