Sword-wielding man shot dead after running at police in Brisbane

A street in Brisbane's south-west remains in lockdown this evening after a man was shot dead by police.

Deh Linh Ho, 41, took his wife Nikki, a female neighbour and four children aged under 10 hostage in a home on Cassowary Street in Doolandella just after 5am today.

For more than two hours, police negotiated the release of the women and children.

Moments after they left the home safely, about 7.45am, Ho charged out the door towards police, armed with a samurai sword.

He was shot multiple times by an experienced senior constable and died at the scene.

Counselling is being provided to the officers involved, including the officer who fired at the man.

His decision to take the shot is being investigated by the Ethical Standards Command, as is procedure in a police shooting.

Video captured by the officer's body-worn camera will be key to the investigation.

“He’s understandably stressed, but he’s comfortable in the fact that he didn’t have any other option,” Insp Partridge said.

Insp Partridge said he believed a Taser was not used in the confrontation.

“Police attend these sorts of jobs day in, day out, and the vast majority of them are resolved peacefully,” he said.

“In very rare circumstances they end in a situation such as this, which is dramatic for everybody involved, and it is never the intention of police to resolve the situation in this manner but unfortunately, circumstances sometimes dictate that you have no other option but to take the steps that were taken today.”

The four children remain in the care of their mother, staying at a relative's home.