Family launches civil claim over young dad’s arrest death
Steven Woodhouse, 30, died after he was repeatedly shot with bean-bag rounds, Tasered and arrested by members of a specialist police team.
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The family of a 30-year-old man, who died after a violent arrest in 2023, has launched a civil claim over the conduct of a specialist police team that recently patrolled the MCG during the Boxing Day Test.
Shaye Woodhouse filed a writ on December 12 over the death of her younger brother Steven, who was repeatedly shot with bean-bag rounds, Tasered and arrested by members of the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) on November 11, 2023.
Steven Woodhouse, 30, with his sister Shaye Woodhouse.Credit: Marija Ercegovac
The father of three died outside his Reservoir home as a result of “catastrophic injuries” suffered during the arrest, according to documents in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Woodhouse said Victoria Police had not provided any explanation for Steven’s death, which was captured by body-worn cameras and has been the subject of an ongoing investigation by the homicide squad for more than two years.
Steven Woodhouse’s death has been the subject of a two-year homicide squad probe.
“I am still asking for accountability for Steven’s death. He was shot and killed by police in his own home. He was unarmed, standing at his front door, and had called for an ambulance seeking medical care,” Woodhouse said.
“A firearm may only be discharged if there is an imminent threat of serious harm or death to an officer or a member of the public. At the time he was shot, Steven was running back into his home. He posed no such threat.”
The writ filed by Woodhouse against the state government alleges Victoria Police breached its duty of care to her and Steven, while also “failing to properly supervise, control or train their employees, officers and/or agents”.
Several CIRT officers, who are not named in the writ, are also accused of committing “batteries and assaults against Steven causing him to sustain catastrophic injuries”.
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Woodhouse told The Age that officers involved in the violent arrest should have used other measures to safely resolve the situation.
