It took police two taser rounds and eight gunshots to stop Yarra Junction man Justin Filardo from trying to kill his sister, a court has heard.
Coroner David Ryan begun his investigation into the 45-year-old’s death on Tuesday 26 August which detailed the horrific scene confronted by police, where Mr Filardo strangled and attempted to cut his sister’s arm off with a Samurai sword.
Mr Filardo was fighting with his sister at a Warburton Highway property on July 30 when police were called after the siblings’ mother heard the daughter screaming.
The counsel assisting the coroner Jessika Syrjanen said when the senior constable and leading senior constable found Mr Filardo, they hit him with their tasers twice, but he did not stop the assault.
“Both members believed that Mr Filardo was trying to kill his sister,” Ms Syrjanen said.
After their requests for Mr Filardo to “back away” and “get down on the floor” were ignored, the senior constable fired his gun.
“The senior constable fired further rounds. After each of the rounds, Mr Filardo continued to hold his sister around her neck and made a grunt or a noise,” Ms Syrjanen said.
A total of 10 shots were fired, with Mr Filardo finally releasing his grip on his sister after the eighth shot.
Mr Filardo is diagnosed with schizophrenia and his mother believed he’d not been taking his medication.
He has no previous history of family violence, though he did have an involuntary admission into hospital in 2012.
Mr Filardo’s sister was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital where she was placed in an induced coma after surgery.
An update on her condition was not provided to the court.
Mr Ryan said he was investigating Mr Filardo’s death as he was deemed in police custody at the time.
“I would just like to say that I have viewed the body worn camera footage and understand the circumstances of Justin’s death were extremely challenging and distressing for responding police members and family,” Mr Ryan said.
But he stressed the inquest wasn’t about placing the blame on someone, but to investigate if steps could’ve been taken to stop the situation from happening again.
