Woman shot by police in Geraldton in WA's Mid West dies in hospital

Woman shot by police in Geraldton in WA's Mid West dies in hospital

A woman has died in hospital after being shot by police on a suburban street in Geraldton, about 400 kilometres north of Perth.

Officers were at a house in the suburb of Karloo when the woman was shot after police were overheard by witnesses telling her to drop a knife.

"During an incident at the address, an officer discharged their firearm causing a woman to receive a gunshot wound," a WA Police spokeswoman said.

"The 29-year-old woman was conveyed by ambulance to Geraldton Regional Hospital where she later died."

A witness said it took at least half an hour for the ambulance to arrive and take the woman to hospital.

Police said major crime officers had arrived in Geraldton and the investigation was ongoing.

"As is standard protocol for all police shooting incidents, Major Crime will investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and Police Internal Affairs Unit will conduct a separate inquiry," the spokeswoman said.

There were reports on social media about a woman in the area behaving erratically in the hours before the shooting.

'She's been shot, ring the ambulance'

A witness living on the same street said her sister heard a bang and then saw police crowd around a woman on the ground.

"All of a sudden police were like 'get down, get down, get down', and bang the gun went off," she said.

"I come running out here looking like what the hell … when I looked there were like eight police on the ground around the young woman.

"I was concerned thinking it was one of my sisters, that's why I was running out there.

"I had my daughter on me and I went out there and I heard, 'she's been shot, ring the ambulance', so I just grabbed her and ran back inside … I was terrified, it was scary."

There were reports on social media about a woman in the area behaving erratically in the hours before the shooting.

'They were telling her to put that knife down'

A teenager named Bobby who was walking down the street as the incident unfolded said it all happened very quickly.

He said police in one vehicle pulled alongside the woman and she began shouting at them.

When another vehicle arrived, they all jumped out.

"They were telling her to put that knife down and they shot her," he said.

Bobby said the woman was not lunging at police but had taken a step back.

WA Police Union president Harry Arnott said the union was standing by its members involved in what he called a "tragic incident" and said he would travel to Geraldton today to ensure their health and welfare.