Kill first, ask questions later

By Stephen Robson

PERTH -- Police action toward armed persons has become an issue again following the shooting of Ray Gould by the tactical response group (TRG) early on October 26.

Gould entered Perth Central Police station at 7.15pm on October 25 carrying a loaded shotgun, taking Senior Sergeant Denis Perich hostage. Several hours later, as Gould walked out of the police station and across Hay St, carrying both his shotgun and a police hand gun, more than 20 rounds of ammunition were fired by police, killing him.

In state parliament police minister Bob Weise said: “The man allegedly made a sudden movement that police believe indicated that he was about to discharge the weapons at the TRG officers”.

Kath Mallott, from the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee, explained to Green Left Weekly that the incident confirmed “the worst fears of the watch committee that the police response is to shoot to kill.

“This committee believes that the public has every right to expect that the TRG officers are capable of firing to disarm or incapacitate rather than to kill.”

A coronial inquiry into the death will be held.

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