Police responded to a violent altercation at the Mount Druitt Westfield shopping centre around 3pm yesterday, where two groups of women in their twenties engaged in a fierce brawl using knives and machetes in the rooftop carpark near the Hoyts cinema.
Assistant Commissioner Gavin Wood of NSW Police reported that a 29-year-old man arrived at the scene carrying a notably large machete as the conflict escalated. When officers instructed him to drop the weapon, he ignored their commands and approached the women involved in the fight. In response, a police officer discharged their firearm, resulting in the man sustaining fatal injuries. Despite paramedics’ efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. It is alleged that his wife was among the group participating in the brawl; she was detained and later released pending further investigation.
Commissioner Wood clarified that the two groups involved were not previously acquainted and suggested that the confrontation was coincidental rather than orchestrated, noting it was a chance meeting that led to the altercation. The deceased, who was a father to two young daughters, was a local resident and had limited prior interactions with the police.
A critical incident investigation has been initiated to scrutinise the circumstances surrounding the police actions during the event. Wood expressed support for the involved officers, stating that they performed admirably under pressure and were not prepared for the events that unfolded that day. He mentioned that the carpark was secured during the incident, ensuring that the conflict did not extend into the shopping centre itself.
The shopping centre’s management has collaborated fully with law enforcement and emergency services, emphasising the safety of their patrons as their top priority.