Police have shot dead a man believed to have been experiencing a mental health episode who barricaded himself inside a house during a six-hour stand-off.
The 49-year-old is said to have armed himself with a shard of glass and taken hold of a police officer before being fatally shot on NSW's Central Coast.
Advocates say the shooting has "devastating" similarities to a 2019 incident and again raises questions about police-led responses to mental health episodes.
Authorities believed the man was having a mental health episode and attended his house in Springfield about 3.30pm on Wednesday with a medical professional.
Officers found the man armed with a screwdriver and other edged weapons, using a Taser and pepper spray in attempts to subdue him.
He barricaded himself in the house, where he remained for about six hours as police attempted to negotiate with him.
Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said tactical police broke the siege when the man set an aerosol can on fire.
"He has got hold of one of the officers and attempted to stab him a number of times, hitting his protective clothing," he said.
"As a result, a number of officers have discharged their firearms, and they have fatally injured that person."
The officer the man attempted to stab suffered slight cuts, Mr Waddell said.
Police attended the scene with a mental health professional as they held concerns for his welfare.
National Justice Project CEO George Newhouse said the case bared the same hallmarks as the 2019 shooting of Todd McKenzie, who was fatally shot by tactical police while experiencing a severe psychotic episode.
An inquest found the death was preventable and urged police to alter procedures regarding mental health episodes.
"Once again, we are seeing a police-led response to a mental health crisis end in tragedy," Mr Newhouse said.
"I was hoping that after the death of Todd McKenzie, this brutal use of force against people in a mental health crisis would end ... the coroner made clear recommendations to stop anyone else from losing their life in this way."
Those recommendations included a review and audit of police mental health training and requiring tactical police to wear body-worn video cameras.
Mr Waddell said training procedures for tactical officers were arduous, while backing in the "very experienced" police.
A critical incident has been declared with the homicide squad to examine the police response, with that investigation then probed by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
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