A Queensland Police internal investigation is examining how a 50-year-old woman was wounded when officers opened fire during an armed confrontation in a Cairns suburb.
The woman, who police say was not involved in the incident, was struck in the lower leg while near the front of her Mount Sheridan home on Saturday afternoon. A 28-year-old man police allege was carrying knives was also shot in the arm and leg.
Both were taken to Cairns Hospital and were reported to be in a stable condition on Sunday.
Emergency calls trigger police response
Police said they received several Triple Zero calls at about 5:11pm reporting a man armed with knives on Benjamina Street. The initial reports included an alleged attempted armed robbery and attempts to enter two homes.
According to police, residents confronted the man during the alleged break-ins and he took two large knives before leaving on foot. Officers began searching the surrounding area, with a police helicopter assisting from the air.
The man was later located near the intersection of Foster and Hardy roads. Police said officers issued repeated verbal directions for him to surrender before three officers discharged their firearms.
The 28-year-old was wounded in the arm and leg. During the same confrontation, a bullet fired by police struck the 50-year-old woman outside a nearby property.
Review to examine officers’ actions
Queensland Police said its Ethical Standards Command is investigating the circumstances of the shooting. The inquiry is being conducted with oversight from the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
Investigators are speaking with the three officers who fired their weapons: one sergeant and two constables. Forensic examinations are also continuing across multiple crime scenes established in the neighbourhood.
Far Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Graeme Paine described the confrontation as highly dangerous and said the suspected presence of knives created a serious threat. He said the police response would be examined in full, including accounts from officers and witnesses and available video or forensic evidence.
The review will need to establish the sequence of events, the location and direction of each shot, and the circumstances in which the bystander was hit. It will also consider the commands given to the armed man and the threat officers believed they faced when they decided to fire.
Busy residential area remains under examination
The shooting happened in a residential part of Mount Sheridan, south of central Cairns, while people were in and around nearby homes. Police restricted access to streets around the scene as specialist officers documented evidence.
The fact that a person unconnected to the alleged offences was wounded is expected to be a central issue in the investigation. Police have acknowledged the distress caused to the woman, her family and the officers involved.
No allegation against the 28-year-old has yet been tested in court. Police had not announced charges against him at the time of publication, and his medical treatment remained the immediate priority.
Police seek witnesses and footage
Authorities are asking anyone who saw the events around Benjamina Street, Foster Road or Hardy Road on Saturday afternoon to contact police. Investigators are particularly interested in mobile phone recordings, home security footage and dashcam video that may show the man’s movements or the confrontation.
The Ethical Standards Command routinely examines serious incidents involving police use of force. Its findings may assess whether officers complied with training, policy and legal requirements, while the Crime and Corruption Commission’s oversight provides an external integrity safeguard.
The investigation remains active, and police have said a complete account will depend on evidence gathered from officers, residents, medical records and forensic analysis.
