NSW:Asian man with silver gun confronted cops

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2011
NSW:Asian man with silver gun confronted cops

SYDNEY, Dec 6 AAP - A detective who accidentally fatally shot a colleague during a
drug search told police they were confronted with an Asian man pointing a silver pistol
at them.

Detective Senior Constable David Roberts, 41, is in the witness box at Burwood Local
Court at the committal hearing of Philip Nguyen, 55, who is accused of the manslaughter
of Constable William Crews.

Before giving evidence on Tuesday, the detective's interview with police, recorded
on September 10, 2010, was played in the courtroom.

In the recording Det Roberts said he, Constable Crews and other officers entered the
basement of a unit block in Bankstown, in Sydney's southwest, at about 9pm (AEDT) on September
8 to execute a search warrant for drugs.

"As we were walking towards a garage, I heard Constable Crews yell out `Gun'," he said.

He said a grey-haired Asian man wearing glasses, aged between 50 and 60, was in a crouched
position holding a silver pistol in both hands.

The man was pointing the gun in various directions "at myself, Const Crews and the
police behind".

"We were yelling `Police, put down the gun'."

Det Roberts said he drew his firearm.

"I saw and heard shots fired in the direction of police ... I also saw muzzle flashes...

the Asian male fired at least one shot," he said.

The detective said he fired in the direction of the Asian man and at the same time
heard other shots.

Nguyen is charged with the manslaughter of Constable Crews, a 26-year-old trainee detective,
on the grounds of "excessive self-defence".

The hearing is continuing.

AAP mss/ra/tr/mjs/jmt

KEYWORD: LEGAL: NGUYEN

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