Two police officers have been stabbed and a man shot dead in what has been described as a “horrific” incident at Crystal Brook in South Australia’s Mid North.
The officers visited the address of Sean Ferris on Wednesday to follow up reports of a minor disturbance at the local supermarket the previous day.
SA Police said Mr Ferris confronted the officers and stabbed them, before they shot and killed him.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the incident was “very traumatic” for the officers involved and that it had a “wide-reaching” impact on the policing community.
Major Crime investigators are gathering evidence at the scene, as they prepare a number of reports about the stabbing and shooting.
What do we know about the incident?
The two police officers were tasked with speaking to a local man about a “minor disturbance” on Tuesday at the Crystal Brook supermarket.
SA Police said they arrived at the Symons Street house at 10:15am on Wednesday, wearing stab-proof vests and body-worn cameras, and were confronted by the occupant, who was armed with a knife.
“As a result of that confrontation, both police officers have been stabbed,” Commissioner Stevens told the media late on Wednesday afternoon.
The police officers shot the man and backup officers found him dead when they arrived a short time later, he said.
Commissioner Stevens praised the bravery of a neighbour, who rushed to the house and helped one of the injured officers.
“They took it upon themselves to step into a situation they wouldn’t have a full appreciation of, potentially having heard gunshots and supported their local police officers,” he said.
“I can’t convey just how grateful we are for that person’s intervention.”
He added that the “swift actions” of paramedics saved the life of one officer who received life-threatening injuries.
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Who were the police officers involved?
Brevet Sergeant Ian Todd, 53, and his colleague, Brevet Sergeant Jordan Allely, 32, were sent to the home to follow up the supermarket disturbance.
SA Police said Sergeant Todd is the officer in charge of the Port Germein police station and Sergeant Allely heads the local Crystal Brook police station.
Both officers have family who work in the policing community in South Australia.
Sergeant Todd has a son-in-law who is the officer-in-charge of the Kadina police station.
Sergeant Allely’s partner is a constable and his father is also a police officer and officer-in-charge of the Hallet police station, he said.
“This is a very traumatic incident for police officers to be involved in first-hand,” the commissioner said.
“But it also has a significant impact on those officers who attend to support their colleagues.
“These police officers are highly regarded by their local communities, they’re good people, they’re respected, the way they do their job is also respected.
“I’m sure this will be felt quite harshly by those local communities.”
What injuries did the officers sustain?
Sergeant Todd — the Port Germein officer — sustained “life-threatening, critical injuries” and was airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital by helicopter.
He was stabbed in the neck, arm and hands.
Sergeant Todd was in surgery up until about 11:30pm last night.
Commissioner Stevens said they were still waiting to hear what the outcome of the surgery would be.
The second police officer from Crystal Brook, Sergeant Allely, was taken to the Port Pirie Hospital with stab wounds to his right leg and arm.
He was considered to be in a serious but stable condition.
Police Association of South Australia President, Mark Carroll, said the union was “providing support to both the impacted officers and their families”.
“We are obviously very concerned for our members and for their serious injuries that they have received,” he said.
“This is a horrifying reminder of the levels of extreme violence frontline police officers face in the line of duty.”
Commissioner Stevens said his police force accepts the risks associated with their job in the community.
“We are confronting people who have a tendency to resort to violence, we’re dealing with drug-affected people, people who have mental health issues,” he said.
“These are the sorts of incidents that police officers step into — they understand the risks and I think it takes exceptional courage to do that day-in-day-out.”
What do we know about the man involved?
Police are yet to release much information about Mr Ferris, who was shot dead, but he is known around town for his dog.
Crystal Brook local Neville — who did not want to provide his surname — described him as “a wonderful man” who had lived in the town for five years.
“He had a beautiful dog and I’m sorry to hear what he’s done. I didn’t think he was the [kind of] man to do that to police officers,” he said.
“It was very, very hard.”
What has the reaction been and what happens now?
South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas said his thoughts were with the officers involved and their families.
“Our frontline police do an inherently difficult and dangerous job each day when they go to work,” he said.
“I would like to extend our thoughts and our well wishes to the wider SAPol family and all the officers who work so hard to keep our community safe.”
Police Minister Joe Szakacs said the incident is a reminder about the dangers of policing.
“Every day that police go to work is a day that they may face danger … never should this type of horrific action and this horrific violence be envisaged, nor should we ever accept it.”
Commissioner Stevens said the incident is being investigated as part of a coronial inquiry and a commissioner’s inquiry, which is mandatory under law.
“That is being headed up by major crime who are currently at the scene along with our forensic officers, and they will be there for some time processing the scene,” he said on Wednesday.
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