Man shot in head during stolen lawnmower probe

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A 20-year-old man is fighting for his life after police shot him in the head and arm during an investigation into a stolen lawnmower in Brisbane.

The shooting happened after police went to a property on Priestdale Road at Rochdale. When officers arrived, they say they were "confronted" by a four-wheel drive towing a trailer, acting assistant commissioner Stephen Hollands told reporters.

He would not comment on reports the vehicle was driven at the officers.

"A firearm was subsequently used by the police and as a consequence of that a 20-year-old male was shot in the head and arm," he said at the scene.

The wounded man has been taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition.

Mr Hollands would not confirm how many shots were fired. Witnesses said they heard four to five shots.

The police ethical standards command is investigating the shooting, with oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Mr Hollands says a second person who was in the car is in police custody.

He would not say if either of the men was armed but said police had been confronted with a challenging situation.

"It's certainly concerning that the police were in a situation where they had to resort to that use of force," he said.

"We do have a police use-of-force model. It's very much an escalated model, and that is the most serious phase of that particular model," he said, referring to the decision to open fire.

Police remain in the neighbourhood and are door-knocking nearby residents in the wake of the shooting, which happened at 8.30am today.

The officers involved have been separated and are being interviewed as scientific officers examine the scene.

- AAP