Police have begun no less than two investigations after a 17-year-old girl armed with a knife was shot in the beer garden of a Townsville pub.
Responding to a report that a young woman was armed and making threats, officers were dispatched to the West End Hotel, around 5:30pm on Tuesday.
Going around to the back, the two male and one female officers were reportedly approached by the girl, who according to witnesses was holding a “big kitchen knife” and allegedly lunged and attempted to stab the female officer.
Despite police attempting ‘use of force options’ she is said to have “continued to advance” and a male officer was thought to be left with no other option but to shoot, hitting the suspect in the abdomen.
“It really reiterates the challenges that police can face in these situations, where they go from a situation to a critical incident very quickly,” Chief Superintendent Graeme Paine told media.
The space was quite confined, with bystanders only metres away when the shot was fired.
The girl, from West End, was immediately provided first aid by the officers, before being transported to Townsville University Hospital, where she underwent surgery. On Wednesday she was reportedly in a stable condition.
Having declared the location a crime scene, local authorities began the anticipated investigation.
Concurrently, the Ethical Standards Command launched an investigation into the use of potentially deadly force. Statements and body-cam footage from the three officers will be considered by investigators.
Queensland Police Union swiftly took the side of the officers, who have not been stood down.
Union president Shane Prior offered that they were “completely convinced” the actions were justified, going further to suggest the officers demonstrated “significant bravery and compassion” and potentially prevented patrons at the hotel from “being harmed or possibly murdered”.
Prior also posed that Townsville has a “long-standing issue” with addressing mental health and substance abuse, although no speculation has arisen as to the physical or mental state of the teenager.
After a period cordoned off as a crime scene, the north Queensland pub has issued thank you to the police involved on social media, and resumed trading.
