A man has died after being tasered by police and turning a knife on himself in a horrifying incident at a childcare centre.
Staff and children locked themselves inside a room as the man, 28, smashed a glass door at Habitat Peregian Springs, on the Sunshine Coast, at 6pm on Monday.
Queensland Police were called to the scene and tasered the man multiple times.
He then pulled a knife and took his own life.
Queensland Police are treating it as a mental health-related incident.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said on Tuesday he had just learned about the ‘horrendous issue’.
‘I’m sure that for many of those students and teachers, it’s a particularly traumatic experience they’ve gone through,’ he said.
‘I think those early childhood teachers and educators are heroes, and any counselling service that is needed will be provided, but the safety of our children is paramount.’
A Queensland Police spokesman said officers attempted to negotiate with the man before taking him into custody.
‘The man became unresponsive soon after,’ he said.
‘Attending police rendered first aid before other emergency services arrived, however he was declared deceased a short time later.
‘No other person present at the time of the incident was physically harmed.’
Police said the Ethical Standards Command will investigate the 28-year-old’s death.
Peregian Springs Golf Club managing director Hideya Fujimaki was working at the club, next door to the childcare centre, when he heard screams around 7.30pm.
He ran to the scene and saw the facility was swarmed by police.
‘There were hysterical parents crying and screaming behind the many many police and ambulances,’ Mr Fujimaki told the Courier Mail.
‘I also heard what sounded like screams from a woman inside the building.’
It’s understood five teachers and six children were inside the building at the time.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek applauded the carers who were by the children’s sides during the ‘traumatic experience’.
‘I think those early childhood teachers and educators are heroes, and any counselling service that is needed will be provided, but the safety of our children is paramount,’ he said.
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