An elderly man is believed to have shot two police officers attending a domestic incident in the face before his death at a house in the state's Northern Tablelands.
Police believe a female senior constable was shot in the throat and her male sergeant colleague on the side of his face after speaking to the 74-year-old man at a property on Church St, Glen Innes, at 9.50pm on Friday.
The pair, along with an uninjured third female officer, retreated to their police vehicle and administered first aid to one another.
A further shot is believed to have been heard and when additional police arrived on the scene the 74-year-old was found dead.
A 59-year-old woman was also found nearby with minor injuries.
Both injured officers were flown to Gold Coast Hospital.
The male officer has received treatment and is in a stable condition while the female officer has undergone surgery and will receive further treatment.
Assistant Commissioner Geoff Mckechnie, Western Region Commander, told reporters on Saturday that it was gratifying to see the way the officers had looked after one another.
"We're very mindful that last night we could have lost two officers very easily here in this incident, thank goodness we haven't," Mr McKechnie said.
Police are confident the female officer will make a full recovery, he said.
Acting President of the Police Association of NSW, Kevin Morton, said the incident was a stark reminder of the dangers officers face every day to keep the community safe.
"Investigations into the exact circumstances surround the incident are ongoing. The Police Association of NSW is not in a position to comment on the details of that investigation," Mr Morton said in a statement.
Police have launched a critical incident investigation and will present their findings to the coroner.
