A violent career criminal with a grievance against police has died in a hail of bullets after charging at officers during a shoot out in rural Queensland.
Rick Maddison was tracked to a shed on a property west of Brisbane on Monday afternoon, after shooting dead 41-year-old Senior Constable Brett Forte earlier in the day.
On Tuesday, 21 hours after engaging in a violent stand off with heavily armed police, Maddison fired at specialist officers as he ran from the shed.
They returned fire and Maddison sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest.
The 40-year-old was declared dead at the scene.
Maddison's firearm was so highly powered it fractured the armoured glass of a police car, cutting an officer to the face, Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.
Queensland Police Senior Constable Brett Forte. (Facebook) Source: Facebook
"This was a person who was highly motivated and had a grievance against police," Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.
Maddison was wanted by police for questioning and there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest when he shot Sen Const Forte during a car chase on Monday.
As news of his death spread, neighbours who had heard frequent gunfire from Maddison's Seventeen Mile property expressed relief the dangerous criminal had been brought down.
"We didn't realise the extent of how dangerous the man was," local Terry Hayden said.
"To learn about the capabilities of the man and what he really was doing ... it's just utter relief (that he's dead)."
Police offer details of attack
Sen Const Forte served with the Queensland Police Service for more than 15 years and has been remembered as a hard-working, well-liked officer and loving father.
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With a chequered police ribbon pinned to her lapel, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday said she shared in the grief felt by the officer's family and colleagues throughout the state.
"I know that Queenslanders today are moved by his sacrifice," she said in Brisbane.
"So dedicated was he, that he paid the ultimate sacrifice.
"We now gather around his family, his wife Susan, his colleagues and friends, to offer our support in these days, weeks and years ahead."
Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart also paid tribute to Sen Const Forte - a member of the Toowoomba's Tactical Crime Squad - as a "fine son" of the police service.
"I know it was completely unexpected and Brett sadly never had a chance," Queensland Police Union chief executive Ian Leavers said, also indicating Maddison should not have been at large.
Meanwhile, some residents were on Tuesday evening being allowed back into their properties near the stand off area.
Nicole Smrecnik was trapped in her house for the entire siege, and said she heard almost non-stop gunfire from 2.20pm to 9.30pm on Monday.
"You could hear the automatic as clear as day," Ms Smrecnik said.
Mourners have been laying floral tributes for Sen Const Forte outside the Toowoomba police station and have been seen stopping officers in the streets to convey their condolences.
