Danny Di Biccari, a father of six, has been identified as the man fatally shot by police after allegedly pointing a rifle at officers responding to a car crash.
Emergency services were called to assist Mr Di Biccari after his Chrysler station wagon struck a tree on a rural road at Rugby, 84km north of Yass in southern NSW, at about 2.50pm on Sunday.
Witnesses contacted triple-0 after seeing Mr Di Biccari unconscious in the driver’s seat. One caller reportedly warned that there may have been a firearm inside the vehicle.
NSW Police said officers from the Hume Police District approached the car to provide first aid, but Mr Di Biccari allegedly confronted them with a rifle.
Officers shot him multiple times before performing CPR, but they were unable to revive him.
Mr Di Biccari was pronounced dead at the scene.
His sister-in-law, Tahya Gardner, confirmed his death in an emotional social media post on Tuesday.
“Behind everything that happened, there was a person – a brother, a father, a son, a family member and a friend,” Ms Gardner wrote.
Danny Di Biccari (above) was fatally shot by officers after allegedly aiming a rifle at them in southern NSW
Ms Gardner also spoke in his defence following the fatal confrontation.
“He was a good person who was loved deeply by the people who knew him, and he leaves behind children who now have to grow up without their dad,” she wrote.
“No words can truly explain the pain of losing someone in such a sudden and heartbreaking way. His family will forever carry the memories of him – his smile, his laugh, his good moments and the person he was to the people who loved him.”
Mr Di Biccari had a history of gun offences and had previously been subject to a firearm prohibition order.
Ms Gardner acknowledged that he had faced “struggles”, but said his children would continue to feel his loss.
“My heart breaks for all of his children. They deserved more time with their dad – more birthdays, more memories, more hugs, more conversations and more chances to tell him how much they loved him,” she wrote.
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“Whatever struggles he may have faced in life, they do not erase the good that was in him or the love his family had for him.”
“His life was worth remembering and his children deserve to know that their dad was loved.”
Police were called to a road near Rugby (pictured) after a car crashed into a tree; officers investigating the incident allege the driver then pulled a gun
“He may no longer be here physically, but he will always be part of his family’s lives and will live on through his children,” Ms Gardner wrote.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty praised the “bravery” of the responding officers, who attempted to provide first aid despite knowing a firearm was present.
‘As they approached that vehicle, they tried to speak and communicate with that person who did not respond,’ Commissioner Hegarty said on Monday.
‘He then took possession of a firearm and pointed it directly at the police officer. At that point, I can confirm that police opened fire and he was struck with a number of rounds.
‘I can confirm that that firearm was a loaded firearm.
‘They were trying to get to the person to render assistance and check on his condition. They were quite brave walking up to that point so I commend them for their bravery.’
Mr Di Biccari was only a few minutes’ drive from the property he shared with his partner and four of their children.
Police will investigate whether the crash was an accident, self-harm attempt, or a plot to lure officers into a trap.
NSW Police claimed Mr Di Biccari (right) aimed the rifle at officers responding to his car crash near Rugby on Sunday
A crime scene was established at the crash site and the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad has commenced a critical incident investigation.
That investigation will be the subject of an independent review by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command and oversighted by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.