A man with links to the Comanchero bikie club has been identified as the 31-year-old shot and killed by police on Sunday morning.
Liam Scorsese was tasered by officers just before 10am after allegedly lunging at police while holding a knife, and then shot twice when he did not respond to the shock.
Witnesses claim Scorsese, 31, had screamed ‘shoot me’ to the officers, after he was caught trying to break into his ex-girlfriend’s home, The Courier Mail reported.
Liam Scorsese (left) reportedly told police to ‘shoot me’ as he lunged at them with a knife on Sunday
Chireez Beytell (pictured right in both images) said her pain was ‘unbearable’ and suffering ‘unimaginable’ upon hearing the news of Scorsese’s death
Police had been called to a domestic incident in Wakerly, Brisbane, and Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Niland told reporters officers present were ‘in fear of their lives’ when the shots were fired.
‘They tasered the man before retreating approximately 60 metres down the road.’
It is believed one of the two officers present, who were both junior members of the force, shot at the man twice.
Though he was reportedly trying to break into his former girlfriend’s home, it is not clear if the pair had rekindled their relationship.
Friends of Scorsese took to social media on Sunday evening to share their devastation at the news of his death.
Scorsese’s friend, Chireez Beytell, said her pain was ‘unbearable’ and suffering ‘unimaginable’.
‘Four years wasn’t enough, it wasn’t the lifetime you promised me or yourself, now your’re gone. May you fly with the angels, I will never let go bub I will never let go,’ she wrote.
The pair appear to have been in a relationship, with Ms Beytell often thanking him for gifts and sharing messages between the pair on her social media account.
Scorsese was remembered fondly by friends as respectful and gentlemanly, and one woman noted the man had a ‘sad mind’
His lawyer, Ashkan Tai (left) said he would be seeking to find out exactly how his friend’s death had come about for the sake of his family
Scorsese (left), who has been linked to Comanchero gang members, was clearly well loved, with many friends grieving his death
One old friend fondly recalled starting high school with Scorsese, and being kicked out of the school together, and said he was ‘angry and devastated’ to hear of the man’s death.
‘Too many memories to think of, from starting high school together, sleeping at mine every weekend, turning the back yard or living room into a hotel so everyone could sleep over or putting up tents in the back yard for everyone to sleep in,’ he wrote.
‘Both being the first to be kicked out of the school to both of us living up on the Gold Coast living together making the Q1 go crazy every day.
‘We went through the good and the bad together up there, but no matter what it was we did, we did it the way we wanted to do it and made the most out of it.
‘Hearing about how you passed makes me angry and devastated at the same time. As much as I hate that place I’m coming to say a final goodbye.’
Another shared a photo of himself, simply writing ‘R.I.P Liam’, and the photo was used by a female friend an hour later, who described herself as ‘shattered’ and claimed he had always been a gentleman to her.
‘[At] least your sad mind will be at rest my friend,’ she wrote.
‘Not cool,’ commented one man.
‘I really thought he’d make it after prison. R.I.P my friend.’
Scorsese died after being tasered and shot by police – following an urgent triple-0 call about a ‘man with a knife trying to break into a house’
Police earlier closed off the street in Wakerley, Brisbane to conduct an investigation
Police had tasered Scorsese, 31, before retreating and were reportedly ‘in fear of their lives’
The man was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition – but later died
Defence lawyer Ashkan Tai shared a photo of himself with the 31-year-old and remembered him as respectful and gentlemanly.
‘RIP Liam Scorsese. A life taken far too early,’ he wrote.
‘I am not sure what happened this morning when the police killed you, but I promise I will make sure your family knows the truth no matter what that might be.
‘In all my professional dealings with you, you were a gentleman and always respectful. What an absolute tragedy regardless of the circumstances.’
Scorsese was convicted of assault on a Surfer’s Paradise bus driver after pleading guilty in August, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
Police said earlier reports an officer was stabbed during the incident were incorrect
Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Niland fronted reporters after the incident on Sunday to explain the context of the situation
Queensland Police were called to an incident in Brisbane ‘s bayside suburb Wakerley on Sunday morning
One ‘junior’ police officer shot at the 31-year-old man twice
He also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and obstructing emergency services officers in December 2016, after he had stabbed himself in the chest.
Scorsese was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition after he was shot- but later died. Police say reports an officer was stabbed during the incident are incorrect.
Residents of the small well-kept street told Daily Mail Australia they have ‘no idea what is going on.’
‘I heard it on the news and poked my head out and found the whole street blocked off,’ one woman said.
‘I didn’t hear the gunshots or anything – it is very concerning.’
Police said the man was ‘armed and enraged’ and ‘trying to break into the house’ before officers were called to the premises.
Scorsese is known to police and has previously been linked to members of the Comanchero gang.
The man was known to police as well as the people in the home, who called Triple Zero
Police said the man was ‘armed and enraged’ ‘trying to break into the house’ before emergency services were called
Neighbours were shocked to find the street blocked off following the incident