A man has died after being shot by police in Darlington on Thursday night in front of horrified locals.
The 29-year-old was a suspect in the theft of firearms from a York business, Assistant Police Commissioner Michelle Fyfe said on Friday.
Tactical Response Group officers had approached him outside Darlington Tennis Club about 5.30pm as he sat in the passenger seat of a stationary Ford Falcon, she said, and asked him to get out of the car.
She said he refused, instead pulling a shotgun on officers.
They told him to lower the weapon but he would not.
She said more than one officer then shot him.
They then delivered continuous first aid until St John Ambulance arrived.
He was taken to St John of God Hospital Midland, where he later died.
His weapon was later found to have been a loaded, stolen pump-action Beretta.
Acting Commissioner Fyfe said while a full investigation would ensure, it was believed at this stage that officers had acted lawfully, in line with their procedural training.
The police involved and the victim's family, which had been notified, would receive counselling.
"This is a police officer's worst nightmare," she said.
"No one goes to work and wants this to be the outcome of their night's work."
Sarah Brookes, a Hills Gazette reporter who lives on the street, told Radio 6PR on Friday morning that there had been no children on the nearby tennis court, though a group of years three, four and five children had been training on the football oval a little further away.
"I understand they were evacuated to the pavilion. One of the coaches I talked to said he heard four shots fired," she said.
"Another parent said to me he saw a man on the ground, handcuffed, and another man looked like he had been shot. There was a lady standing by screaming.
"Apparently the kids were really good about it but certainly some kids were a little bit traumatised. It's pretty lucky there were no children playing on the tennis courts. There are normally a lot of kids out playing in our area.
"It's certainly shocked the locals. It's an area where there are so many people hanging around in the early evening, there's a dog walking group that congregates.
"Darlington is a pretty quiet hills village. There is not a lot of crime up here."
Assistant Commissioner Fyfe said police officers had considered the surrounds of the area when assessing the risk of the operation and had followed procedure.
Witnesses were still being interviewed.
The Major Crime Squad investigation into the firearms burglary continues.
WA Police's Internal Affairs Unit is conducting a separate inquiry into the shooting.
Anyone with information who has not yet spoken to police is asked to come forward.