The fatal shooting of a young man by police on Sunday night has left the Tenterfield community in a state of shock.
Ryan Pringle, 33, died during a confrontation with police at a rural property near the NSW town.
About 8.10pm, police from the New England Local Area Command responded to reports of a man armed with a knife at a property on Billarimba Road at Rocky River about 30 kilometres from Tenterfield.
Officers deployed a Taser and fired a number of shots during the confrontation.
Mr Pringle, from the NSW North Coast, died at the scene.
Tenterfield Shire Mayor Toby Smith passed on his condolences to Mr Pringle’s family on behalf of the Tenterfield community. Cr Smith said it was believed the deceased had a history of mental illness.
He said residents were still coming to grips with the tragedy.
“Obviously everyone was quite shocked that something like that could happen in the Tenterfield shire. The two police officers involved were quite traumatised. It was a terrible thing for them to go down to an isolated property at 8pm at night and be confronted with a knife then a crossbow,” the Mayor said.
A NSW Police spokesperson said the officers involved had participated in mandatory counselling.
The spokesperson said the Tenterfield community had been very positive and supportive of the local police.
Cr Smith agreed, saying “the police handled the situation quite well; I was very pleased with the cooperation of the police”.
He said there was a group of people, attending an Australia Rainbow Gathering, at the property at the time of the incident.
It is understood this gathering included people meditating, chanting and praying.
Detectives from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad have launched a critical incident investigation into the man’s death under Strike Force Pattinson.
They will examine all circumstances surrounding the incident, with all information to be provided to the NSW Coroner. The investigation will be overseen by the Professional Standards Command.
As this investigation is being conducted on behalf of the Coroner, no further information will be released.
Story: Rebecca Brown
