Machete-wielding man shot by police at Sydney shopping centre

Police at Westfield Shopping Centre in Mt Druitt, where a critical incident investigation has been declared after a man was shot dead by police on Saturday. Photo / NewsWire

Police have revealed that the machete-wielding man shot dead at a major shopping centre in Sydney’s west was married and has two children.

Police shot and killed the 29-year-old man following a six-woman brawl in the Westfield Mt Druitt carpark on Saturday afternoon, where police allege he showed up with a “large machete”.

A fight started between two groups of women about 3.15pm on Saturday in the carpark across from the centre’s Hoyts movie theatre.

Police have alleged the man’s wife was one of the women involved in the brawl.

Assistant Commissioner Gavin Wood said the brawl involved six women in their mid-20s, and the melee was “opportunistic”, with the women not knowing each other or reportedly having no known gang affiliation.

“It was just a sheer fluke that they have met, crossed paths and the melee has started.

“The rationale or the reason for the melee we do not know at this stage, it is subject to investigation.”

Shortly after the brawl, police said, the 29-year-old arrived at the scene in his car.

He had a “slight interaction” with police before returning to his car and taking out a 50cm-long machete.

The man then walked towards the group, at which point police asked him to drop his machete.

Wood said the man did not follow police instructions and continued walking towards the group of women.

He was then shot by a police officer and died at the scene.

Assistant Commissioner Wood backed his officers and said he was “content” with their actions.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. Photo / NewsWire

“The police officers got in the middle, between the deceased person who was carrying a large machete and some of those females subject to the melee.

“Their actions were brave and I want to put that on record.

“The investigation will be subject to scrutiny, as it should be, but their actions were brave,” he said.

On Saturday, reports emerged that the man had reportedly approached police, prompting them to fire “a number of shots”.

A critical incident has now been declared and an investigation will be undertaken.

Criminal defence lawyer Rick Rabbah, who was at the scene, told 7News the incident was distressing, even for someone in his profession.

“I specialise in criminal defence, but for things to occur for a day like 3pm on a busy weekend, it’s terrifying for everyone, even for someone like myself,” he said.

A critical incident team from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad will lead the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.