Man shot dead by police at home in Sydney’s west

Police have shot dead a 46-year-old man after a “physical confrontation”, in Sydney’s north-west on Tuesday morning.

NSW police said four officers were attending a home in Seven Hills at around 11.20am, to locate the man who was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant.

Police allege the man was wielding a knife and an axe and confronted four officers, who “let out a number of shots”.

Acting assistant commissioner Julie Boon, the north-west metropolitan region commander, told reporters the man “collapsed” after being shot.

“Officers let out a number of shots, [and] unfortunately, the man collapsed. Officers, performed CPR but the man was unable to be revived.

“A critical incident investigation team has been formed and will investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.”

Boon refused to give any further details on the incident, including how many shots were fired, which officer fired the shots, the nature of the confrontation and whether the death will be considered a death in custody.

No police officers were injured in the incident.

A crime scene has been established, with officers closing a number of residential streets around the house, and dozens of officers on the scene.

Police were seen diverting traffic from the southern end of Best Road, and cutting off all side entrances to the street the shooting took place on.

Family members had gathered just outside the police tape, grieving and criticising the police. They could be heard saying it was “only bullets for us, no taser”.

A Careflight helicopter was seen landing in a park near the home.

Justine, a neighbour, was quite emotional at the scene and said she knew the victim and described him as a “nice and calm man”.

“I knew him for three years, he’d come and visit his auntie here every now and then. I spoke to him last night, and there didn’t seem to be anything wrong.”

“I heard the gunshots and I heard the Careflight, but I wasn’t sure what happened.”

Dale McPherson, another neighbour who knew the family, told the ABC they were “lovely people”.

“I don’t want anyone to be shot but you don’t know what the circumstances were.”

Locals had gathered to watch on, with one commenting that he didn’t feel police made the neighbourhood a safe area.

“Years of police training mean these kinds of things shouldn’t happen,” he said, requesting that he not be named.



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