South Australia Police say an officer suffered minor injuries. Three investigative units are examining the shooting, and a report will go to the Coroner.
Police have shot dead a woman after she threatened officers with an axe in Adelaide’s inner eastern suburbs. SA Police patrols arrived at an address on Gwynne Street in Firle just before 2am on Thursday and found her armed, which led to a confrontation. Officers first tried to stop her with a Taser, but it failed to work, and she was shot with a police firearm. They gave first aid until SA Ambulance paramedics arrived, but she died from her injuries. The woman has not been named, and her age has not been given.
What police have said
South Australia Police confirmed that one officer suffered minor injuries. They have not said how the officer was hurt, whether it happened before or after the shot was fired, or whether treatment was needed. Gwynne Street was closed while officers examined the scene, and motorists were asked to avoid the area. No reopening time was given in the initial statement.
According to the force’s statement, as carried by Mirage News, three units are involved. The Major Crime Investigation Branch has detectives at the scene, the Forensic Response Section is examining it, and the Internal Investigation Section is looking at the circumstances. A report will be prepared for the Coroner. The involvement of these units shows a formal investigation is under way. It does not mean police have decided whether the shooting was lawful.
What is not known
The initial statement does not explain why the Taser failed. Several details remain unanswered:
- whether the Taser probes made contact with her, and whether clothing or distance affected it
- how many officers were present and whether more than one shot was fired
- whether officers wore body cameras, and what any recordings show
- whether officers tried to negotiate before firing
These points bear on whether the use of lethal force was justified, and the statement does not establish the answers. The reason for the woman’s behaviour has also not been given.
Another recent case
A separate incident in Clare on 7 June 2026 also involved police saying a Taser was ineffective, according to AAP News. Officers were called to reports that a 44-year-old man was threatening people with a metal pole. Police said the Taser did not incapacitate him, and that he became unresponsive during his arrest and died. The case was referred for further investigation and a coronial report. No fatal police shooting was involved, and no link between the two incidents has been established. It offers background on scrutiny of Taser use in South Australia and does not explain what happened in Firle.
