VIC:Officer faced 'suicide by cop': report

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2010
VIC:Officer faced 'suicide by cop': report

By Daniel Fogarty

MELBOURNE, Dec 3 AAP - A policeman in a confrontation with Tyler Cassidy would have
realised he was facing a "suicide by cop" situation after his attempts to subdue the Melbourne
teenager failed, a report has found.

Sergeant Colin Dods fired on Tyler, 15, after he found himself in a "precarious" position,
trapped on a stair landing and surrounded by objects, the report by a Victoria Police
Academy superintendent found.

Throughout the confrontation, Sgt Dods had continually assessed risks and options,
and his "outcomes were focused on minimal use of force", Supt Michael Williams said in
the report tendered in the Victorian Coroners Court on Friday.

Tyler was shot dead after he confronted police armed with two knives at the Northcote
skate park about 9.30pm on December 11, 2008.

Sgt Dods had initially sprayed Tyler with capsicum foam, but it proved unsuccessful,
the inquest heard.

Tyler fled into a park where there was "minimal lighting, vast open space and an uncertainty
of public presence".

Tyler was overheard on his mobile phone using phrases similar to "the cops are here
now", "someone is going to die", the inquest heard.

He then provoked police to shoot him, the court heard.

At this point, Sgt Dods sprayed capsicum foam at Tyler a second time, but the teenager
focused on him and kept advancing towards him, Supt Williams wrote.

Sgt Dods then tried to negotiate with Tyler and disengage him by walking backwards
up the stairs, the inquest heard.

Sgt Dods fired a warning shot, then fired at Tyler's legs.

"The ineffectiveness of the risk-control measure designed to wound the deceased is
likely to have confirmed Dods' assessment that the risk (hazard) was suicide by cop,"

Supt Williams wrote.

"The risk was further exacerbated by Dods being in a precarious elevated position surrounded
by obstacles which left him little opportunity for further disengagement.

"I believe it was only at this point (that) he assessed lethal force as his remaining
risk-control measure and subsequently deployed it."

Two other police officers involved in the confrontation, Senior Constable Richard Blundell
and Senior Constable Nicole De Propertis, also fired their weapons, the inquest has heard.

A fourth officer, Senior Constable Antonia Ferrante, was unable to fire because Sgt
Dods was in the way, the court has heard.

Only three minutes elapsed between their initial sighting of Tyler and him being shot,
meaning officers had to make split-second decisions under "extreme pressure", the report
said.

The inquest before State Coroner Judge Jennifer Coate resumes on December 14.

AAP df/mn/jl/cdh

KEYWORD: CASSIDY

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