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THE CHRONICLE: A CLOSE friend of Steven Harrison, who said he communicated with him for hours during an all-night siege in Warwick, has raised questions over the police tactics used in the incident. The siege ended after Mr Harrison’s body was found in his Warwick house.
A CLOSE friend of Steven Harrison, who said he communicated with him for hours during an all-night siege in Warwick, has raised questions over the police tactics used during the incident.
The strong police response, which police say was ignited after Mr Harrison was reportedly found carrying a weapon in his backyard late on Monday afternoon, ended after his body was tragically found inside his Wantley Street home on Tuesday morning.
Throughout the night, police escalated their response, locking down the surrounding streets and repeatedly playing loud sirens and a message to the 38-year-old.
According to Australian Federation Party member Brett Tunbridge, he and Mr Harrison were communicating throughout the night via an encrypted messaging service.
He alleged the sound he and multiple residents heard was what was known as a longrange acoustic device.
“The weapon let out a highpitched, shrill, siren sound and I could hear it through the phone,” Mr Tunbridge said.
“I spoke to (an officer) who informed me that the weapon was being used to provoke a response.”
LRADs blast an area with a high-frequency, high-pitch sound up to 160 decibels and have been previously been used at protest events.
Qld, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia as well as the Australian Federal Police, have all previously confirmed they have an LRAD.
Mr Harrison was connected to the freedom movement, and had anti-vaccine and anti-government views in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Tunbridge said he believed the police response was disproportionate to the threat posed by Mr Harrison, who was legally blind and walked with a cane.
“I have procedural issues with the entire situation, and I will make a formal complaint,” he said.
“Steven was involved in the freedom movement, the Stand in the Park movement, the man was also a member of the Monarchist League, this man had 6000 books lining his house.”
Mr Harrison’s family declined to comment on the police response.
“The only person who will ever know what truly happened that night is Steve, and we’ll never be able to ask him because he’s no longer here,” sister Debbie Stevens said.
“For now we will just grieve the man we’ve lost and celebrate the man he was.”
Mr Harrison’s death is not being treated as suspicious.
The Queensland Police Service was contacted with multiple questions, including whether a long-range acoustic device was used.
“The incident is under investigation by the Ethical Standards Command on behalf of the State Coroner and is subject to oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission,” a spokeswoman said.
A vigil will be held for Mr Harrison at Leslie Park in Warwick on Sunday from 10am.
