A machete-wielding aboriginal criminal who broke into a family home in Western Australia has died in hospital after being injured when the homeowner allegedly fought back.
Police said Tyron Smith, 20, was attempting to break into the house in Boulder, Kalgoorlie, at 10.15am on Friday when he was confronted by a man who was home with his wife and child and an altercation ensued.
Smith, who was armed with a machete while wearing a balaclava and had been released from prison just 26 days earlier, was seriously injured and rushed to Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital before being flown to Royal Perth Hospital.
The homeowner suffered an arm injury and cuts to his hands that also required hospital treatment, The West Australian reported.
Western Australia Police detectives are investigating the incident, and the homeowner has not been charged. Police said he is helping with the investigation and that Smith’s cause of death is yet to be determined.
A nearby resident said the young couple have since fled their home in fear of retribution from the indigenous community, and that other neighbours were also frightened of reprisal attacks.
“I don’t feel safe. And I’ve contacted various charitable agencies to see if we can get temporary accommodation elsewhere if things kick off so that we have somewhere safe to go,” she said.
“My neighbours … they’re already scared as well and want to leave.”
Smith’s family spoke to the media on Wednesday while wearing T-shirts with his photo and the words “tragically taken, forever young”. They called for calm, saying “we don’t want family members or anyone in the community that’s close to us to go out run amok”.
Smith’s mother, Kathleen O’Loughlan said the family just wanted answers, and confirmed her son had been in and out of juvenile detention throughout his childhood.
“At the end of the day, a person who dies because of a violent act of another is the victim. It doesn’t matter whether they are White or black,” she said.
“We are hopeful that the police will get to the bottom of what happened, and how it came to pass that my son died in a house on a suburban street in Kalgoorlie.
“I did not sleep for three days straight, hoping my son would wake, but he didn’t wake. I appeal to the public to provide any information that may assist in determining what happened to my son.
“If there was an altercation, why did it have to end this way? We need answers, and we need justice.”
WA Premier Roger Cook addressed this incident on Wednesday and urged the aboriginal community to let police complete their investigation.
“I understand it occurred as a result of a home invasion and it was a very violent set of circumstances that then followed,” he said.
“I urge everyone please do not jump to conclusions. Do not raise anxiety in the community. This is a police matter, let the police get on and do their job. They’ll get the facts and they’ll present them to the community.”
Header image: Left, Tyron Smith. Right, the dead man’s father Tyron Smith Snr (Facebook).
