A 45-year-old man has been found dead in his home after an exchange of gunfire with the Queensland Police, who had arrived at the scene to investigate an alleged episode of gender-based violence in the town of Yengarie, in the state of Queensland, in northeastern Australia.
"The police declared a crime scene in Yengarie after an incident occurred during the night in which a police officer was shot (...) It will be alleged that a 45-year-old man from Gundiah approached the officers when they arrived at the residence and fired at the police," the Queensland Police reported in a statement.
According to the official version, when the officers arrived at the property due to a report of possible domestic violence, the 45-year-old man allegedly approached and opened fire on them, hitting a 36-year-old first-year officer in the leg.
"The officer was taken to the hospital for treatment and is in stable condition. No other police officers or citizens were injured during the incident. The case will be investigated by the Ethical Standards Command, under the supervision of the Crime and Corruption Commission, which will report to the State's magistrate," the statement noted.
After the shooting, authorities issued a security alert in the area and, during a subsequent search of the home conducted by specialized units, the man was found dead around 9:20 PM (local time).
Inspector of the Queensland Police, Officer Paul Algee, explained in a press conference that there were two women and two minors inside the property at the time of the incident, all of whom were unharmed. The police commander stated that he felt "incredibly proud" of the behavior of the involved officers.
"The officers who were working with the rookie officer who was shot saved his life thanks to their heroic actions," Algee said.
The residence remains cordoned off while authorities continue with the proceedings to clarify in detail what happened.