A man who allegedly chased six police officers down a suburban street wielding a metal pole before he was shot is an immigration detainee out on multiple counts of bail.
Police were called to a home in Doveton in Melbourne’s south-east on Saturday morning following reports of a disturbance.
A man was spoken to and arrested in the front yard before he allegedly grabbed a 182 long A-frame metal pole and broke free from police.
Masi Ayiik, 33, allegedly chased them down the street and charged at officers, who deployed OC spray before a shot was fired by police.
He suffered a single gunshot to his upper body and was rushed to hospital under police guard.
Ayiik was later released and charged with four counts of resisting police members and one count each of assaulting police, common law assault and reckless conduct endanger serious injury.
He appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday night.
It’s understood Ayiik was one of hundreds of immigration detainees released into the community last year following a controversial High Court ruling found indefinite detention to be unlawful, even if previously criminally convicted.
Police were forced to shoot Masi Ayiik (pictured centre) after he allegedly charged at them brandishing a metal pole
Inquiries into the shooting on a suburban street in Melbourne’s south-east continue
Ayiik was out on at least five counts of bail and attempted applied for bail again on Sunday, Nine News reported.
Police also allege he was already wanted on previous outstanding assault warrants.
The court heard that Ayiik posed a potential danger to the public, could obstruct the course of justice or not show up to court on Monday if he was granted bail, the Herald Sun reported.
Ayiik had been facing deportation for allegedly serious offences before he was granted a visa that required him to wear an ankle bracelet.
The court also heard that he allegedly breached his visa conditions in December and again in January.
Bail was refused and Ayiik will reappear in court again on Monday.
Almost 300 immigration detainees have released since the landmark High Court ruling in November 2023.
The ruling prompted the Labor government late last year to impose electronic monitoring and curfews on dangerous non-citizens released from detention after a spate of alleged crimes involving freed detainees.
Masi Ayiik (centre) is an immigration detainee who was out on at least five counts of bail. He was refused bail to reappear in court on Monday
Shadow home affairs minister Senator James Patterson has blasted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government in the wake of the latest incident.
‘A dangerous criminal released by Labor from immigration detention now out on five counts of bail is exactly the kind of person who the Albanese Government should have kept off the streets using the preventative detention powers passed by the Parliament 16 months ago,’ Senator Patterson told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday night.
‘Instead, this government has sat on its hands, spending $22million of taxpayer money without lodging a single application to lock up the dangerous criminals who are doing real harm in our communities on Labor’s watch.
‘The Minister for Home Affairs should immediately use these powers to avoid a repeat of this tragic situation – or worse.’
Liberal Senator James Patterson (pictured) says the immigration detainee should have been kept off the streets by the Albanese Government
An investigation into the incident with oversight by Professional Standards Command continues.
Victoria Police Acting Commander Southern Metropolitan Region Wayne Viney has defended the decision by officers to shoot the man.
‘While being arrested, he (allegedly) broke free from police members, chased police members down the street with this large metal pole,’ he said.
‘One of the members, fearing for the life and safety of the other police members … that male was shot.
‘To go to the extreme lengths of shooting someone, yes, they would have feared for their own safety.’
