SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – A Saturday afternoon shopping trip in western Sydney turned deadly when a man armed with a machete was fatally shot by police amid a violent brawl involving his wife in the rooftop car park of Westfield Mount Druitt.
New South Wales Police confirmed that officers were called around 3 PM on July 12 to reports of a large fight outside the Hoyts cinema at the busy shopping complex. Upon arrival, they found two groups of women in their 20s engaged in a violent confrontation, allegedly wielding knives and machetes.
Assistant Commissioner Gavin Wood said that in the chaos, a 29-year-old man arrived at the scene armed with what police described as an “alarmingly sized” machete. The man, who was reportedly local to the Mount Druitt area and the father of two young daughters, had come to the carpark after learning his wife was involved in the melee.
“He continued to walk towards the group of women while carrying the machete,” Assistant Commissioner Wood said at a press conference. “Police gave him multiple directions to drop the weapon, but he refused.”
Officer Fires Fatal Shot
The situation escalated rapidly. As the man ignored police commands and advanced toward the group, an officer fired a single shot, striking him. Despite immediate treatment by paramedics, he died at the scene.
Assistant Commissioner Wood defended the officer’s actions, saying police were confronted with a volatile and highly dangerous scenario in a public place crowded with shoppers.
“The melee was very, very quick and very swift. And they’ve done their job. They’ve done it well,” Wood said. “I am content with the actions of the officers involved. Their actions were brave. We will put our arms around those police.”
He noted the carpark was quickly locked down during the incident and stressed that at no point did the fight spill into the interior of the Westfield shopping centre itself.
Wife Arrested, Later Released
Police allege the man’s wife was one of the women involved in the violent fight. She was arrested at the scene but has since been released without charge, pending further investigation.
Investigators say the two groups of women did not know each other and that the confrontation was not gang-related.
“It was an opportunistic meeting,” Wood explained. “They were not known to each other or have any gang affiliation. It was a sheer fluke they met, crossed paths, and a fight happened.”
Deceased Man Known to Police
The deceased man was known to police, Assistant Commissioner Wood confirmed, but he did not have an extensive criminal history. Police have not publicly released his name, pending formal identification and notification of next of kin.
Critical Incident Investigation Launched
Under standard procedure, a critical incident investigation has been launched to examine the circumstances of the police shooting. This investigation will be conducted by detectives from the Homicide Squad and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, ensuring independent scrutiny.
While acknowledging the traumatic nature of the incident for the officers involved, Assistant Commissioner Wood emphasized transparency and accountability.
“It will be subject to scrutiny, but their actions were brave,” he said. “They didn’t come into work yesterday knowing they had to shoot someone.”
Shopping Centre Responds
Westfield owner Scentre Group issued a statement following the incident, confirming that police and emergency services responded swiftly.
“Police were on-site and responded to a critical incident within the Westfield Mt Druitt car park this afternoon,” the statement read. “Our team are providing full assistance to Police and Emergency Services. The safety and security of our customers, business partners, and people is our highest priority.”
Community in Shock
The fatal shooting has shocked the local community, many of whom were at the centre for routine shopping and leisure when chaos erupted.
Witnesses described scenes of confusion and fear as police sealed off the rooftop area. Several people reported hearing yelling and seeing officers with weapons drawn before being ushered away from the carpark.
Investigators continue to piece together the exact chain of events, including the origin of the fight between the two groups of women and how the deceased man became involved.
The rooftop car park remains a focal point of the investigation, with forensic teams working late into Saturday evening gathering evidence.
Police have urged anyone with information or video footage of the incident to come forward as they seek to build a full picture of the circumstances that led to the deadly shooting.
