Fatal Police Shooting at Mount Druitt Shopping Centre in Sydney

A man armed with a machete was shot and killed by police at a shopping center in western Sydney. The incident occurred at Mount Druitt shopping center, and the man's identity has not been released. Police were responding to reports of a man with a machete, and the shooting was a last resort to protect the public.

A man armed with a machete was shot and killed by police at Mount Druitt shopping centre in western Sydney on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred at approximately 3:15 PM local time, as police responded to reports of a brawl involving two groups of people in the shopping centre's car park [1].

According to NSW police, uniformed officers were threatened by a male who was allegedly armed with a machete. After multiple shots were fired, the man received first aid from officers and subsequent treatment by paramedics, but he died at the scene. The incident was declared a critical incident by NSW police just after 4 PM [1].

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was not immediately identified. Footage posted to social media showed police and shoppers outside the shopping centre after the incident, with one witness claiming to have seen the man "running through the shops" with a machete [1].

The NSW state crime command's homicide squad is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the investigation to be reviewed by the professional standards command [1]. The incident has sparked public discussion about police use of force and the safety of public spaces.

References:
[1] The Guardian. (2025, July 12). Man shot dead by police at Westfield Mt Druitt shopping centre. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/12/man-shot-dead-by-police-westfield-mount-druitt-shopping-centre-ntwnfb