According to Australia's Polaris newspaper, a shooting occurred at the entrance to a shopping mall in the east of Lismore, northeast of New South Wales, at around 12.30pm on September 11. But the shooting was not aimed at a person, but at a magpie.
Police confirmed that the bird pounced on an elderly woman, causing her to suffer a knee injury. The bird was later shot by two men in shorts and t-shirts, sparking chaos at the scene. The gunman then claimed to be a police officer.
One witness questioned the move, saying the bird had been swooping into crowds for years, but police should have warned people in advance before taking action.
Police later confirmed that a magpie had suddenly attacked an elderly woman outside a shopping mall and that the police were responsible. Although at first the gunman was suspected of being just a civilian who shot the bird in retaliation, it was later confirmed that the men were actually police officers on duty.
Richmond Police District Inspector David van der Gerryon told the media that the National Parks and Wildlife Service sent police to shoot the bird. He said the police officers were well trained and would call regularly at this time of year to destroy magpies that endangered public safety.
Inspector Van der Grind explained that the service usually requires officers to euthanize birds that pose a danger or harm to the public. Plainclothes police also identified themselves to one of the witnesses and showed identification to the witness.
The bird is said to be "quiet and cute" for most of the year, but has recently begun to selectively swoop at pedestrians.