A man shot dead by police in Brisbane’s CBD in 2020 had not taken his schizophrenia medication when he stabbed a tourist before charging at an officer with a knife, an inquest has heard.
Coroner Terry Ryan, who is examining the death of 24-year-old Mohamad Ikraam Bahram, on Wednesday heard that his family were alarmed by their son’s abrupt departure from their home on 23 February 2020, which they believed was “out of character”.
He eventually parked his mother’s car in Brisbane’s CBD, before approaching a British man and his fiancee with a knife at around 10am.
After chasing the man through the city, Bahram stabbed him in the back before he managed to escape into a building, the inquest heard. The tourist was transported to hospital with a laceration to his back, a fractured nose and a split and swollen upper lip.
Sr Const David Eiser, who was called to the scene, told the inquest he “feared for his life” as Bahram charged towards him with a knife.
He said he was left with no other option but to shoot at Bahram.
“I directed [Bahram] to drop the knife. I yelled it four times,” Eiser said.
“As he ran towards me, I went backwards … and it’s at that time [I discharged my firearm].
“He [had] stumbled and fallen. I discharged my firearm again until there was no longer a threat to myself or my partner.”
Det Sgt Donna Green from Queensland police’s ethical standards command told the inquest she found Eiser and his partner had acted appropriately in the circumstances: “I believed they acted in self-defence and adhered to all the policies and procedures.”
Green said police did not find evidence that the actions of Bahram, who was Muslim, were religiously or politically motivated.
The inquest heard Bahram was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2017 and was last reviewed by a mental health treating team on 18 February – less than a week before the shooting.
He believed police were tracking him and had implanted a device inside him during a routine dental procedure, the inquest heard.
Another officer, Sgt Luke Kleidon, told the inquest that Bahram had multiple “flags” on the police’s internal system after an incident in 2017.
He said another flag was placed on Bahram’s record by the security and counter-terrorism network.
Kleidon said he believed any further police interaction with Bahram would be detrimental to his mental health and heighten the paranoia he was experiencing.
Barrister Peter O’Connor, representing the family, recalled comments from an officer who informed them of Bahram’s death. He said the officer noted the family was “quite sensitive and aware” that their son might be painted as a terrorist in the aftermath of the attack.
O’Connor said police had executed a warrant to search the home the next day and seized four items – none of which produced any concern.
The inquest continues.
Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
