AN INVESTIGATION into the death of a woman tasered by police in Stockton has been launched and police spent Friday combing the scene.
Police attended a nine-hour operation on Thursday in which the woman's condition worsened, assistant commissioner Peter McKenna, who is Northern Region Commander, told media on Friday morning.
Police were called to a Queen Street unit about 12.30pm on September 14 and tried to "negotiate" with the woman.The 47-year-old allegedly threatened police with an axe before barricading herself in the unit.
Mr McKenna said tactical police and specialist negotiators were called in several hours later.
"There is no timeframe for these type of jobs. Each are done on their own merits," Mr McKenna said. "We certainly don't rush these sort of things.
"At about 9.30pm last night, police entered the unit," he said. "The woman was taken into custody using tactical options."
These included a Taser and impact munitions - known as beanbags. Police understand one beanbag was fired before the taser was used by a tactical officer.
The woman sustained an injury to her right shoulder - "likely" from the beanbag- during the arrest. She was able to walk to the ambulance before her condition worsened.
"She was taken to John Hunter Hospital and unfortunately later died," Mr McKenna said.
The investigation is being led by the state crime commander from the homicide squad and is independently overseen.
Officers remained on the scene on Friday but it's understood the initial on-site investigations were close to wrapping up by the afternoon.
A post-mortem will take place in the coming days.
"We will [then] by able to ascertain a cause of death," Mr McKenna said. "This matter is now before the state coroner.
"This will be a significant investigation, as all critical incidents are. We will be retrieving all available evidence to ensure [the scene] is thoroughly investigated," he said.
No one else was inside the unit at the time of the incident, Mr McKenna confirmed. He did not confirm if the woman was in conflict with another party before police were called to the scene.
The woman was known to police only for a minor matter several years ago. Her family have been contacted but Mr McKenna would not comment on whether they were involved in negotiations on Thursday night.
The woman's death comes less than four months after 95-year-old Victorian resident Clare Nowland allegedly died from a taser on May 24. Nowland fell and fractured her skull before dying in hospital.
Queen Street resident Stacey Klimovitch died in 2021 just doors up from where the woman barricaded herself in the unit. Klimovitch was shot in the chest and died at the scene after answering her front door.
Mr McKenna said he did not hold safety concerns for the area.
