Tensions Rise as Police Confront Armed Man at Westfield Shopping Centre
A tragic police shooting unfolded at Westfield Mount Druitt after a 29-year-old man arrived wielding a large machete during a heated brawl. NSW Police have confirmed the man was married and the father of two children. Officers shot him dead in the car park after he refused to comply with orders to drop the weapon.
The incident began around 3:15pm on Saturday when two groups of women became involved in a violent altercation near the Hoyts cinema. Assistant Commissioner Gavin Wood said six women in their mid-20s engaged in a spontaneous, non-gang-related fight.
Chaos Escalates as Man Arrives With Machete
Authorities allege the man’s wife was among the women in the brawl. Shortly after the fight began, the man arrived in a car, briefly interacted with police, then returned to retrieve a 50cm machete.
“It was just a sheer fluke that they have met, crossed paths and the melee has started,” said Assistant Commissioner Wood. He stressed that investigators are still trying to determine what led to the brawl.
According to police, the armed man began walking toward the women, prompting officers to intervene and command him to stop. When he ignored their repeated warnings, an officer discharged their firearm.
Paramedics attempted to revive the man, but he died at the scene. A critical incident investigation was immediately launched by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.
Witnesses Rattled as Investigation Begins
Assistant Commissioner Wood praised the officers’ actions, calling them “brave” and “decisive.” He confirmed that the police stood between the armed man and the women to prevent further harm.
“The investigation will be subject to scrutiny, as it should be, but their actions were brave,” he stated.
Criminal defence lawyer Rick Rabbah, who was present during the event, described it as deeply disturbing. “It’s terrifying for everyone, even for someone like myself,” he told 7News.
As authorities work to piece together the events, the community remains shaken by the violence in what should have been a peaceful, busy afternoon at a family shopping centre.
