{"id":59471,"date":"2026-07-27T14:24:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T14:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/59471\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T14:24:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T14:24:37","slug":"man-hospitalised-for-mental-health-hours-before-police-shooting-in-cairns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/59471\/","title":{"rendered":"Man hospitalised for mental health hours before police shooting in Cairns"},"content":{"rendered":"

An armed man shot by police in Far North Queensland<\/a> had been taken to hospital for mental health treatment but was released shortly before the shooting. <\/p>\n

Richard Allen Tom, 28, was shot by police after they responded to reports a man had broken into two homes<\/a> and was armed with knives on Benjamina St in Mount Sheridan, a suburb of Cairns, on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Man hospitalised for mental health hours before police shooting.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

An innocent bystander \u2014 a woman aged in her 50s \u2014 was struck by a stray police<\/a> bullet during the altercation.<\/p>\n

Police said they tried to engage Tom before attempting to hit him with a police car.<\/p>\n

Officers eventually fired upwards of a dozen shots at him at a busy intersection before he was hit in the elbow and the leg and taken to Cairns<\/a> Hospital in a serious condition.<\/p>\n

The woman was standing at her front door when police opened fire and was hit in the lower leg. She was also rushed to hospital for the non-life-threatening injury.<\/p>\n

\"PolicePolice said Tom was armed and had broken into two homes. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

Far Northern region assistant commissioner Graeme Paine said police had put the safety of the community first.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe officers have felt the level of that threat required them to discharge their firearms,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Paine said police had received multiple triple-0 calls which he said \u201cindicated that there were significant concerns within the community\u201d.<\/p>\n

It has now been revealed that Tom was released from prison only hours before being taken to Cairns Hospital for mental health treatment after being found naked and jumping on cars. <\/p>\n

\"AA woman was caught in the crossfire, being shot in the leg at her front door. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

However, he was discharged shortly before the altercation that led to him being shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrankly, this person should have been in a mental health facility to start with, and they shouldn\u2019t have been out in the community,\u201d Queensland Police Union representative Shane Prior said. <\/p>\n

Tom has since been charged with multiple offences, including wilful damage and one count each of enter dwelling and commit.<\/p>\n

He was refused bail and is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday. <\/p>\n

\"LocalsLocals filmed the shooting, where Tom can be seen running while officers fired around 12 shots. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the Ethical Standards Command, with oversight from the Crime and Corruption Commission, Paine said. <\/p>\n

He would not confirm if any officers had been stood down over the incident.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a look at things holistically and then we make decisions as we progress with the evidence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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