Police say multiple shots were fired by officers who stormed a house and fatally shot a man to end a siege on the New South Wales Central Coast.
Officers went to a home on Wells Street in Springfield, east of Gosford, just before 3:30pm on Wednesday to check the welfare of a 49-year-old man.
NSW Police said specialist officers were called in and a perimeter established when he armed himself with a screwdriver and other sharp objects.
The stand-off continued for almost six hours before the man attempted to burn an officer by lighting an aerosol can, police said.
They said officers from Tactical Operations Regional Support broke into the house before the man armed himself with a sharp object and tried to repeatedly stab an officer.
Officers shot the man, who died at the scene.
“There were a number of shots fired by a number of officers as a result of that attack and the attempts to stab the officer,” Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said.
“Very tragic set of circumstances.
“Very sad for the family and also very tough for our police.”
A police officer received a minor injury.
Heavily armed police broke into a home on the Central Coast after a stand-off lasting almost six hours. (Shauna Foley: ABC Central Coast)
Assistant Commissioner Waddell said the man was armed with “an edged weapon” when police arrived at the scene with a mental health clinician.
“They did deploy some non-lethal use of force, in terms of taser and OC spray, unsuccessfully,” he said.
“He got himself back inside those premises and barricaded himself inside.”
Assistant Commissioner Waddell said police stormed the house when the man lit the aerosol can.
“They have engaged with him, they have deployed, again, some non-lethal use of force, which was unsuccessful,” he said.
“He has got hold of one of the officers and attempted to stab him a number of times.”
Assistant Commissioner Waddell said the man had armed himself with s “shard of glass”.
“As a result a number of officers have discharged their firearms and have fatally injured that person,” he said.
“Paramedics were at the scene, they did render first aid, but he did die at the scene.”
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell held a media conference after the fatal shooting of a man on the Central Coast. (ABC News)
A critical incident team from State Crime Command’s homicide squad will lead an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
That investigation will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.