A young housekeeper who watched her father-of-four employer be gunned down by police after a siege insists he was a kind man and ‘not the villain’.
Duylinh ‘Louie’ Ho, 41, was shot dead outside his home in Doolandella, Brisbane, on July 22 while confronting officers with a samurai sword.
Police said Mr Ho held his wife Nikki, their four children aged under 10, and another woman hostage inside the home before later releasing them.
Emily Ross watched father-of-four Duylinh ‘Louie’ Ho, for whom she worked as a housekeeper, be gunned down by police after a siege
Mr Ho, 41, was shot dead outside his home on Cassowary Street in Doolandella, Brisbane, on July 22 while confronting officers with a samurai sword
But his housekeeper Emily Ross, who was the other woman involved, claims Mr Ho was suffering a mental breakdown and was no threat to them.
‘I want to clear his name and make sure that everyone knows he is not the villain in this story,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘We weren’t hostages. The kids, his wife and I were never in any harm from Louie. He was struggling with mental health issues.
‘We called the ambulance for medical assistance as he had an injury and was threatening self harm.’
The family called an ambulance about 5.30am as Mr Ho began behaving erratically, including threatening to throw a mirror down a flight of stairs.
Ms Ross (right) was inside the house with Mr Ho’s family and claims he was suffering a mental breakdown and was no threat to them
‘I want to clear his name and make sure that everyone knows he is not the villain in this story,’ Ms Ross (right) said
Ms Ross said he refused treatment when paramedics arrived at the Cassowary Street house and police were called to assist in getting him to go to hospital.
‘The events that followed after have left the family and I completely shocked and heartbroken as Louie was very much loved by those who have ever met him,’ she said.
Police said in a statement that the family and Ms Ross were ‘released’ from the ‘siege situation’ after police negotiated with Mr Ho.
However, Ms Ross said they were never hostages and were just trying to get Mr Ho the medical help he needed.
‘Louie was a loving father and a beautiful soul. He was nothing but kind to me and loved his wife dearly,’ she said.
‘Not a day goes by that the children don’t ask for their dad. One of his children said it was the worst day of their life because they will never see their dad again.’
Family of the man shot dead by police outside of a Queensland home were seen at the scene shortly after the fatal incident
Ms Ross said Mr Ho’s family was distressed by how he was portrayed by police in the aftermath of the shooting and that friends and family were confused by suggestions he would do such ‘terrible things’
Ms Ross said Mr Ho’s family was distressed by how he was portrayed by police in the aftermath of the shooting and that friends and family were confused by suggestions he would do such ‘terrible things’.
A neighbour who claimed to have witnessed the series of events also insisted there was ‘no f**king siege’.
‘I was there. The kids as they woke up he sent them down stairs to us,’ he said, describing Mr Ho as a close friend.
‘[At] 4am he was screaming for help… It was mental health not drugs, etc, and his four kids and wife I feel for.’
Police said seconds after the family was released, Mr Ho charged at officers brandishing the sword was shot about 7.45am.
Paramedics tried to save his life but he died of his wounds half an hour later.
Forensic police (pictured) at the scene of a fatal shooting after a man allegedly charged at police while holding a samurai sword
Inspector Tim Partridge said the veteran senior constable who fired the shots had no option but to use lethal force.
‘He’s understandably stressed, but he’s comfortable in the fact that he didn’t have any other option,’ he said.
‘It’s traumatic for everybody involved. It is never the intention of police to resolve in this manner but, unfortunately, circumstances dictate you have no other option.’
Queensland Police ethical standards command will investigate the shooting with oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.