A family friend of a 16-year-old shot by police has claimed he was unarmed when officers opened fire.
Jai Hunt was injured on Wednesday when police were called to a Springfield house over a domestic incident.
But the allegations have been denied by the force union and the police said the officers made ‘good decisions’ in a split second.
The teenager, who was named as Jai Hunt, was injured on Wednesday when police were called
A police officer runs back to their patrol car to bring out a first aid kit after the boy was shot
It is alleged the teenage boy was trying to lunge at officers while holding a knife when he was shot by officers.
But family members today claimed that was not the case, Nine News reports.
At a press conference on Thursday, Ian Leavers of the Queensland Police Union said: ‘The allegation the offender was unarmed when police defended themselves is patently untrue.’
Meanwhile, Ian Stewart, the Queensland Police commissioner told reporters: ‘They made good choices, good decisions, to not only protect themselves but others present at the time.’
A search was initiated at the house in Springfield, Queensland, on Wednesday afternoon following the shooting
It is alleged the teenage boy was trying to lunge at officers while holding a knife, police said
The youngster is still recovering in hospital and is understood to have spoken to investigators from his bed about the incident.
He told them he was lunging at officers to attack his father during a fight which is claimed to have related to a history of domestic abuse, Nine reported.
Queensland police commissioner Ian Stewart (left) and the Queensland Police Union’s Ian Leavers (right)
Mr Leavers described it as a ‘very complicated family situation’.
Family friends have said the boy has Asperger’s and is fascinated with knives while his father is codeine dependent and had been unable to take his tablets since the start of the month.
No charges have been made by police in relation to the incident which is being investigated by the Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command.
No charges have been made by police in relation to the incident and Jai Hunt is still recovering in hospital
The incident is being investigated by the Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command
The youngster was allegedly shot multiple times before being rushed to hospital in Brisbane
Jai, who has been described as a ‘friendly boy’, was allegedly shot multiple times before being rushed to hospital in Brisbane.
His grandfather, Jim Hunt, told the Courier Mail the boy was ‘having a bit of a blue’ with his father prior to the incident.
‘He’s never been in trouble with the police,’ he said.
The house was locked down as a crime scene while forensic teams and detectives set up a cordon
Detective Superintendent Brian Swan said in a statement in the aftermath of the shooting that he believed both policemen fired at the 16-year-old.
‘That young person has threatened officers armed with a knife,’ he said.
‘The officers drew their firearms and that person was shot once, we believe.’