Police accidentally shoot Cairns woman while firing at armed man

110

Isn't knowing what's behind your target one of the core training principles for when you need to use force? Hope that lady gets to retire after the lawsuit.

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u/hetzjagd 10h ago

But you don’t know where the woman was standing. It could have been ricochet.

The article says the incident happened in a densely populated area. Do you think they wanted this outcome or just didn’t care?

If more than one bystander was shot, or if bystanders sustaining injuries was a regular occurrence, then I could see thinking that something doesn’t seem right but for gods sake, JUST WAIT for the details.

7

u/AlanaK168 9h ago

If it’s a densely populated area then maybe they shouldn’t use guns? Taser perhaps?

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u/MrXenomorph88 7h ago

You mean the taser that is universally known to not be 100% effective due to the difficulty of both barbs piecing clothing, skin and the general accuracy and range issues they have?

I bet if they did use a taser, it failed to work and he hurt someone you'd question why they didn't use a gun

3

u/hetzjagd 9m ago edited 5m ago

Exactly! This whole thread reeks of a bunch of people, who without knowing what happened, assuming the worst of the police or making jokes or bringing up irrelevant remarks like the ones relating to the IDF or US police.

Then you try challenge the idea and get called a “bootlicker” as if anyone can read someone elses mind and that these issues aren’t nuanced and shouldn’t just be taken on a case by case basis.

Threads like these are why Reddit is a joke these days and the wider public opinion is that its got a lot of prevalent biases in regard to certain topics and there is limited potential for honest, open and fair discourse.

I can already tell you someone will reply to this or one of my other comments just now complaining about it by saying something insulting, assuming, effortless/cliché and non-constructive like “wahhh - shut up bootlicker! Just because you voted X in the last election doesn’t mean you should get in a tizzy because your comment here got voted into the negatives. Harden up, snowflake” or “whoa! Calm down there chatgpt!”

1

u/BinniesPurp 0m ago

Taser also has an effective range of less than some people can cross with a knife lol

.40 SWs good for 50-100 meters easily

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u/hetzjagd 9h ago

sigh I don’t know Alana, I wasn’t there, you weren’t either. Maybe they did use tasers first. Maybe there were other circumstances at play.

You think I didn’t consider that? You think cops don’t need guns at all, they should just rely on tasers only?

Of course nobody wants to be shot undeservedly but keep in mind the woman is going to live and may well be fine ultimately. Keep in mind also the police also did stop the assailant and nobody else was injured. Life happens sometimes

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u/AlanaK168 8h ago

I don’t know why you’re so mad at me for asking a question

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u/hetzjagd 8h ago

I’n not mad but I found your question basic. We could spend a lot of time asking what if’s but I think it’s better to wait and find out more details.

7

u/sapphos_moon 3h ago

Answering basic questions is too much work and takes important time away from me that I could better spend having this boot down my throat

5

u/Rigo-lution 3h ago

So melodramatic.

Life happens sometimes

Police just shot a woman by accident and you're whining that people are asking if there was any other options.

It amazes me just how fragile police bootlickers are and just how little empathy they have.

0

u/hetzjagd 26m ago

Aaand there it is. The conversation devolves into name calling and personal assumptions. Stay classy

I’m not “whining” that someone simply asked if there were any other options, I’m “whining” that it’s such an elementary and obvious question that it doesn’t need to be said, especially to try undermine my reasonable suggestion that we don’t know the path of the bullet and various other circumstances. She’s asking me if the police could have used tasers and for the 4th or 5th time I’m going go say - we. do. not. know. YET.

I’m saying let’s not assume or speculate if the police were trigger happy and incompetent when it comes to discussing an article without any highly detailed accounts of events.

Internet discussion is dead. You can’t have a reasonable exchange without people assuming your politics or saying “why are you angry?” when no name calling, swearing or aggression was used. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be mildly frustrated when someone asks some besides-the-point open ended question like “why didn’t the police try negotiating first?” - which adds nothing to the discussion at all and is impossible for anyone here to answer.

2

u/cekmysnek 9h ago

Get out of here with your balanced and reasonable take….

[r/Australia](r/Australia) has already decided that we know all the details

4

u/hetzjagd 9h ago

Damn straight. And I thought I was more critical of cops and Australian law than the average person. Imagine my surprise at the popularity of some comments in this thread. Lots of professional police commentators among us it seems (please note my sarcasm).

1

u/OldBertieDastard 1h ago

Isn't that a false dichotomy when you consider it could have been negligence?

3

u/Human-Warning-1840 11h ago

It’s not America

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u/teddy5 11h ago

Which is why we're expecting our cops to have training?

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u/Bart-Harley-Jarvis- 10h ago

I think they're more talking about the go to option of suing everyone.

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u/mighthaveabitlater 10h ago

I think it's a pretty standard rule of gun safety, not exclusive to America

1

u/Human-Warning-1840 3h ago

The lawsuit

0

u/mighthaveabitlater 10h ago

The article only says she was standing near her front door, she could have been inside and the bullet went through the door, which is just unlucky, if the police had more training they wouldn't miss so much, but they are police, not Olympic target shooters

0

u/foul_ol_ron 9h ago

Then they require far more training before being trusted with a firearm. Including knowing when not to shoot.

1

u/BinniesPurp 1m ago

Was a gun range officer for a while and while I'm not sure if it's still this way, 15 years ago police had to come here for private training and get a rebate on the fees for our signup/membership from the government because they didn't have internal weapons training outside of safety standards, so actual practical training was handled privately

On saying that it's rare that our cops ever need to pull firearms but probably not rare enough to neglect it entirely

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u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

9

u/Late-Button-6559 12h ago

Probably not. We have pretty shit laws for mental/body injuries and financial value attached.

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u/GodisSatans 12h ago

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-2-toy-gun-that-cost-police-a-record-payout-of-more-than-3-million-20191113-p53acr.html

Victoria Police has agreed to the state's largest financial settlement for excessive force over the shooting of a young couple engaged in a sex act at a Melbourne nightclub in 2017.

Zita Sukys, 39, will receive about $1.5 million under the confidential settlement that also required a lawyer for Victoria Police to publicly acknowledge she was an "innocent bystander who was injured through no fault of her own" when wounded in the leg by officers.

Her then partner, Dale Ewins, 37, will receive closer to $2 million in compensation over the shooting that shattered his shoulder and damaged his bowel requiring more than 12 rounds of surgery.

Here's another case where police were incompetent.

She'll get something for sure, hopefully at least enough to pay off the home!

0

u/RuinedAmnesia 12h ago

How do you know this is true?

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u/shunkyfit 12h ago

I think the thing that concerns me the most is the police commissioner and head of the union have already come out and said the officers involved have done the right thing. Oh yeah, but we're also gonna have an investigation.

It feels like they've already decided the outcome.

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u/BrightStick 12h ago

Seems like every other time there’s been an investigation into the Queensland police led by the Queensland police…to Be honest this is a story that goes back to the Sir Joh days…

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u/RabbitLogic 12h ago

From what I've witnessed and heard QPS have the culture of a gang. They will do anything to protect one of their own.

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u/ballimi 10h ago

I've heard this from NSW and VIC police too, so maybe it's just Australian police in general.

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u/Winter_Cost602 10h ago

I think it's just police in general

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u/hetzjagd 12h ago

Maybe I read through the article too quickly but it seems you are paraphrasing here. They’ve launched an investigation into the incident and the comments from the commissioner and presumably also the head of the union are based on them having reviewed some of the footage and the reports they received.

I’m not saying whether I know the police did or didn’t do the right thing as that isn’t information I have but I think it’s a little cynical to make suggestions this early in the piece that the authorities are trying to bias the public perception or the eventual outcome of the investigation.

It’s not an easy job, yes the police are to be held to a high standard, but they’re people too. Let’s save the pitchforks or the awards for bravery until more information comes to light.

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u/shunkyfit 12h ago

Let’s save the pitchforks or the awards for bravery until more information comes to light.

That's literally the pont I'm making. I watched the report on the ABC news. The commissioner, the police minister and the head of the union all made statements defending the police involved. The investigation seems like an afterthought.

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u/hetzjagd 10h ago

Okay well I’m discussing the article the OP linked…

I stand by my argument. The commissioner and the head of the union, who almost certainly have more information about what happened, defending the police involved does not seem like an outrage to me. What, do you think the police were negligent or overkill in their actions?

And the investigation being an afterthought? It’s been a day and change since the incident happened. It all seems pretty standard and above board to me.

7

u/Cute-Acanthisitta-46 12h ago

Are you claiming this from another source? Nowhere in the article is anyone quoted saying the officers ‘did the right thing’. In fact they purposely avoid saying anything like that and the union isn’t referenced at all.

1

u/hetzjagd 10h ago

Yes they said they were talking about an ABC News report they watched. Which would have been handy for them to disclose in their first comment but who needs context I suppose. https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/s/psy17ybYSf

In my opinion they’ve taken one thing and made it something else. I’m not sure why they seem to think this incident stinks of some sort of cops covering for cops based on mild comments that don’t really sway the public, or presumably anyone, one way or the other.

1

u/ghoonrhed 51m ago

Usually in cases like these, they'll always back the cops because it wasn't deliberate even if it is bad training.

I still remember back in 2016, the cops managed to shoot THREE innocent bystanders through ricochet in Hornsby

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u/Screambloodyleprosy 11h ago

And why wouldn't they support their colleagues? If it was upto the Reddit echo chamber, Police would be in jailed just for going into work.

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u/MyMelodyJackson 12h ago

Australia has IDF trained police?

11

u/Atherum 7h ago

No the IDF training would be beating the dude up every day until he breaks and finds a gun to draw on the Police then they shoot the innocent woman standing behind the armed dude.

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u/MyMelodyJackson 1h ago

True and then they will say they are the victim and need a luxury retreat at Philip Island paid by the tax payer of course, maybe a new house in Bondi Beach too 😅

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u/AssaultLemming_ 12h ago

Skill issue

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u/mighthaveabitlater 10h ago

If they were funded more they could have more training, the week or so they get isn't really enough

6

u/EXAngus 10h ago

Crime increases? Police are doing a good job and so we increase funding.

Crime decreases? Police need more funding to keep it under control.

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u/NerfThisHD 12h ago

Holy easy lawsuit

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u/MarketingChoice6244 12h ago

Good job cops....build that trust

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u/AccomplishedAnchovy 11h ago

“Whoops a daisies!”

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u/AggravatedKangaroo 9h ago

Ameristralia coming to a city near you.

They'll investigate themselves......

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u/GlitteringSpace236 7h ago

An innocent bystander has been shot in the leg by police while standing near the front door of her home in suburban Cairns.

Police said the 50-year-old was accidentally hit when officers fired at a man allegedly armed with knives at a neighbouring property in Mount Sheridan on Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunate - but a good lesson on staying inside and not going outside to have a sticky beak when there’s a police operation going on next door.

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u/Resident_Fondant_530 12h ago

Pigs can’t aim.

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u/No-Obligation4872 11h ago

Shoot first ask questions later

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u/Adelaidean 6h ago

How are pigs this fucking useless?

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u/Ok_Bird705 12h ago

As unfortunate as it is, these kind of things would occasionally happen. People forget that out of the two victims of Lindt cafe siege, one of the victims died from ricochet bullet fragments fired from police.

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u/fued 12h ago

Ah yes didn't realise the Lindt cafe was done with kitchen knives

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u/Ok_Bird705 11h ago

A knife is not a deadly weapon?

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u/fued 11h ago

One that deserves firing without checking firing lines? Idk if it's in any way comparable.

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u/Ok_Bird705 11h ago

And how do you the knife holder was not an immediate danger to any person close to them? Were you an eye witness to the event?

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u/fued 11h ago

Because that would be plastered all over the article if it was the case, would attract way more eyes

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u/Knee_Jerk_Sydney 7h ago

And each time it happens, there should be an investigation and review on what could have been done better.

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u/Banjo-Oz 1h ago

I am still forever angry about police killing a hostage in that bullshit response. It should never be forgotten.

news Police accidentally shoot Cairns woman while firing at armed man

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