Tasmania Police (Photo credit: Wikipedia)A Tasmania Police Professional Standards investigation into a non-fatal shooting at Beechford in March last year has cleared the male officer who fired the shot - saying his actions were both lawful and justified.
According to police, Daniel Sowden, who was armed with a knife and a builder's gun, was shot by the officer when he arrived at a Beechford property in the early hours of March 14 last year. When police were called, Sowden threatened them with a knife. Sowden, of Westbury, later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was jailed for 12 months.
"In that time, Mr Sowden spat at police, threatened he had a gun, menaced police with the knife and endeavoured to incite police into shooting him by threatening them and lunging at officers with his knife," Mr Tilyard said.
Sowden was shot in the stomach by an officer after he advanced on him with the knife and ignored warnings not to come closer, Mr Tilyard said.
"It is clear the officer believed Mr Sowden was intent on stabbing him and he acted in self defense."
Mr Tilyard said that he wanted to acknowledge the judgement, sound decision making and professionalism displayed by the officers in dealing with a "high-risk incident" over a protracted period.
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