A woman sustained a gunshot wound to the leg after being accidentally struck by a stray bullet during a confrontation between police and an armed man on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred in Mount Sheridan, Cairns, when Queensland Police responded to reports of a 28-year-old man allegedly wielding knives.
The man had reportedly attempted to force entry into two homes before being confronted by residents. He then armed himself with two large knives. Police located the man at the intersection of Foster and Hardy roads and issued multiple commands for him to surrender.
Officers attempted to stop the man by using a police vehicle before discharging their firearms. During the exchange of gunfire, a 50-year-old woman, who was near the front of her home, was accidentally hit in the leg by a stray bullet. Far Northern region Assistant Commissioner Graeme Paine described the situation as "extremely dangerous" and noted the difficulty in anticipating a person's reaction to commands.
Police shot the man, hitting him in the arm and leg. Both the man and the woman were transported to Cairns Hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.
Assistant Commissioner Paine emphasized the inherent risks associated with knives in public spaces and stated that the responding officers' actions were dictated by the threat level and the individual's behavior. He also acknowledged that the residential and traffic-heavy area was a factor in the accidental shooting of the woman.
The Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command has initiated an investigation into the incident. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward and assist with the investigation.