Siege classed as ‘mental health matter’

By Jeremy Sollars

Police have refused to release details about a seven-hour siege which played out at Karara west of Warwick yesterday, Wednesday 21 February.
A man holed up in a residence on Meiklejohn Road who made threats towards police yesterday morning was taken into custody shortly after 5pm yesterday.
A Queensland Police media spokesman told the Free Times today no further details about the incident would be released, as it was “a mental health matter”.
The spokesman would not comment on reports from neighbours that police were called on Tuesday night about the man behaving erratically in a vehicle in the area but did not attend the location until Wednesday morning.
Police, including a PolAir helicopter crew, cordoned off the property on Wednesday morning after the man made threats to officers and of self-harm, declaring an emergency situation under the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA).
It is understood the man threw a sword at a Leyburn police officer early on in the incident.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Karara Rural Fire Brigade also attended the scene after the man lit a fire inside the residence, which did not damage the structure.