Danny Di Biccari, a 45-year-old father of six, has been identified by his family as the man fatally shot by police after his car crashed into a tree near Rugby in southern New South Wales.
Officers were called to Corringle Lane, near Rugby Road, at about 2.50pm on Sunday after members of the public reported the crash. Rugby is about 85km north of Yass.
NSW Police said Di Biccari appeared to be unconscious inside the Chrysler station wagon when officers arrived. Police alleged that, as they approached to offer assistance, he picked up a rifle and pointed it directly at an officer.
Assistant Police Commissioner Stephen Heggarty said officers then opened fire, striking Di Biccari several times. “At that point, I can confirm that police opened fire and he was struck with a number of rounds,” he said.
Mr Heggarty said he had viewed body-worn camera footage and that officers were “quite close to the car” as they tried to assess Di Biccari’s condition.
Police began CPR immediately, but Di Biccari died at the scene. No officers were injured.
Mr Heggarty said Di Biccari was previously known to police and had a history of firearm offences. “I can confirm, though, that he had previous firearm offences,” he said.
Family pays tribute to Danny Di Biccari
Di Biccari’s sister-in-law, Tahya Gardner, described him in a Facebook tribute as “a brother, a father, a son, a family member and a friend”.
“No words can truly explain the pain of losing someone in such a sudden and heartbreaking way,” she wrote. “He was a good person who was loved deeply by the people who knew him, and he leaves behind children who now have to grow up without their dad.”
Ms Gardner said Di Biccari’s children had been denied “more birthdays, more memories, more hugs, more conversations and more chances to tell him how much they loved him”.
“Whatever struggles he may have faced in life, they do not erase the good that was in him or the love his family had for him,” she wrote.
The police shooting has been declared a critical incident. Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad will investigate, with an independent review by NSW Police Professional Standards Command and oversight from the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
