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- 34-year-old suspected attacker shot dead
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Police say an officer attacked with a knife seconds before a fatal shooting in Sydney’s southwest overnight was “very close to something that could have been fatal”.
The 33-year-old senior constable was at the wheel of a police vehicle in Middleton Grange when he was allegedly attacked twice in the shoulder by a man armed with a knife.
The officers exited the vehicle before verbally confronting and then shooting Marco Bindi-Fortoni, 34, with a Taser. Just “seconds” later, the senior officer fired two shots.
Neighbours said they heard Bindi-Fortoni’s mother “howling” as she sat in the gutter outside her home after her son was shot, it was reported. The Daily Telegraph.
“I could hear her, she was hysterical… saying ‘they killed my son, they killed my son,’” said a neighbor.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Brett McFadden said “the situation escalated very quickly” and there was a “real threat” to the police officer.
“We’re very close to something that could have been fatal or certainly life-threatening in terms of the injuries that he could have sustained given the damage to his operational vest around the right collarbone area of his right shoulder… we’re talking about centimeters away from hitting another part of his body and causing catastrophic injuries,” he said.
Police performed CPR on the 34-year-old man until paramedics arrived on the scene to take over, but were unable to revive him.
A 33-year-old senior constable was driving a police vehicle when he was allegedly attacked twice in the shoulder by a 34-year-old man armed with a knife.
Mr McFadden backed the actions of the “experienced and capable” police at the scene, who he said had “stopped the threat”.
“The tactical options that were available to police really became very limited when the Taser was no longer effective,” he said.
“There was a very real threat to the life and well-being of the police officer and another technical option was used: the firearm was used.”
McFadden said the alleged attacker, who has not been identified, was known to police but would not confirm whether he had a history of mental illness.
He added that the man’s family had been contacted and that an “extensive and thorough” review of the shooting would be conducted.
Marco Bindi-Fortoni, 34, died on Saturday night just yards from his home in Middleton Grange. His parents posted a photo of their son sleeping with his dog
New South Wales Police at the scene on Saturday night after the man attacked an officer.
Emergency services were called to Bird Walton Ave in Middleton Grange at around 11pm on Saturday following reports of a man with a knife.
In an earlier statement, police said they were confronted by the 34-year-old man who allegedly threatened officers with the knife.
Police said preliminary information indicated the man then struck a 33-year-old officer with the knife; the officer was fortunately protected by his vest.
The officers proceeded to use a Taser on the man and when that “proved ineffective,” police shot the man.
Police performed CPR at the scene until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived and took over, but were unable to revive him.
It has since been declared a critical incident and the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The investigation will be subject to an independent review and the officer allegedly attacked in the confrontation was not “physically injured.”