Man shot dead by police in Potts Point after allegedly assaulting two women | New South Wales

A man was shot dead by police after allegedly breaking into an apartment complex in Sydney’s Potts Point area and attacking two women on Tuesday morning.

New South Wales police said officers from Kings Cross command were called to a union block on St Neot Avenue in Potts Point at around 10.50am following allegations an armed man entered the complex and attacked two women.

“The responding officer used a stun gun, but it was ineffective,” police said. Police said the man claimed he threatened officers with a gun before an officer shot him and fired a single shot.

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The man was confirmed dead at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, NSW police deputy commissioner Peter McKenna said on Tuesday afternoon. He said the women, one aged 48 and one aged 56, were taken to St Vincent’s hospital with non-life-threatening head and facial injuries.

NSW Ambulance chief Stewart Clarke said the man succumbed to his injuries despite the best efforts of paramedics and “their handling on the stretcher en route”.

He said one of the women had “fairly serious head and facial injuries” but was taken to hospital “conscious and stable”, while the other woman’s injuries were “more superficial”.

Asked if police could allege the man stabbed the women, McKenna said the investigation was in its early stages but one of the women had injuries “consistent with being assaulted with a weapon.”

“Other injuries are consistent with blunt force trauma,” he said.

Police have not yet identified the man, who is believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, and have no information that the man lives at the unit complex, McKenna said. He said the two women lived there in separate units.

Asked if the man was known to the women, McKenna said: “It’s too early in the investigation, but we don’t believe it.”

A crime scene has been established and a critical incident investigation will begin. McKenna said the investigation would be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (Lecc).

“How and why this came about will be thoroughly investigated,” he said.

“What I can say is, I have police officers who came to work today safe and sound. And I have officers today who came home safe after encountering a very, very violent incident, even though they were traumatized, they came home safe, so I’m very pleased.”

Another critical incident investigation was ongoing in Newcastle on Tuesday morning into a separate and unrelated incident in which a 36-year-old man was shot by police during an arrest.

Police said officers arrived at a unit on Honeysuckle Drive around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to arrest a man wanted on five outstanding warrants.

They said officers forced their way into a unit where the man, who they claimed was carrying a “sharp weapon”, confronted them.

“Two tasers were deployed, but both were ineffective against the man.”

Police allege the man continued to threaten officers with a gun before an officer shot him. He suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was taken to John Hunter hospital under police guard in a stable condition.

Asked whether two separate incidents on Tuesday had raised concerns about the use of stun guns, McKenna said the weapons “have been an effective part of our arsenal since their introduction many years ago.”

“It’s a less lethal option. We use them often with great success, but like everything, they’re not always successful.”