According to media reports, an Indian man was fatally shot by Australian police on Tuesday after he allegedly attacked a cleaner at a Sydney train station and made threats against police. According to the news agency PTI, he had a bridging visa and was residing in Australia.
Mohamed Rahmathullah Syed Ahmed (32) from Tamil Nadu was identified by the Indian Consulate in Sydney as the man fatally shot by the police. “The incident is extremely disturbing and unfortunate. We have formally taken up the matter with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New South Wales Office as well as state police authorities,” the Consulate said.
Ahmed tried to attack the police officers
The 28-year-old cleaner at Sydney's Auburn station was allegedly attacked by Ahmed before he arrived at the Auburn police station, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
Ahmed confronted two police officers as they left the police station and made an attempt to attack them, according to the report.
Two of the three shots that a police officer fired struck Ahmed in the chest. It said that a probationary constable shocked him with her taser.
Ahmed was given first aid on the spot and then transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was later declared dead, according to the report.
According to the report, Ahmed had five prior encounters with the police, all of which were non-criminal and concerned the COVID-19.
Police officers were forced to shoot Ahmed
According to Acting Commissioner Stuart Smith of the New South Wales Police, officers had only a few seconds to react and were forced to shoot Ahmed.
“I fully support these officers. It’s traumatic. It’s a significant incident at one of our police stations,” he said.
“There just isn’t an impending time. It is immediate. He launches through the glass doors at the officers; they had very little time to react," he said.
According to the article, Smith promised to involve the counterterrorism team in the probe.
The cleaner, who had been admitted to a nearby hospital and was speaking with the police in the interim, is now reported to be in a stable condition.
Before allegedly continuing to "slash" him after he went to the ground, the attacker allegedly punctured his left forearm, according to Smith. According to the article, which cited the police, the two guys were strangers to one another.
