Reply With QuotePolice officer Bryson Anderson killed in knife attack in western Sydney
by: Daniela Ongaro, Clementine Cuneo, Mark Morri and Yoni Bashan From: News Limited Network December 07, 2012 9:43AM
A FEUD over a bird aviary is alleged to have sparked a violent altercation which has left a police officer dead and a mother and son charged with murder.
Residents at Oakville, in Sydney's south west, today said the drama unfolded about 1pm, when arrows were allegedly fired into bird cages belonging to tow truck identity Kevin Waters.
Mr Waters, who has lived at the Scheyville Rd property for about six years, is understood to have called police about an hour later, when multiple arrows were found inside an aviary.
The Telegraph has been told police spoke to Mr Waters, before visiting a neighboring property owned by Fiona Barbieri, 42, who lives there with her 19-year-old son Mitch.
It is alleged an altercation took place at the Barbieri property, and back up was called for.
Duty officer Inspector Bryson Anderson, 45, arrived at the property about 4pm.
Within moments of being on scene, police allege Insp Anderson was struck to the head with a knife. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
Both Mrs Barbieri and her son Mitch were charged with murder and appeared at Penrith Court this morning.
Neither person was brought up from the court cells during the brief hearing and the court heard police had applied for a DNA test and other forensic procedures to be carried out on Mitchell Barbieri, but the request would not be dealt with until it came before a magistrate next Friday.
Their lawyer said there would be no bail application for either family member during the brief session.
Residents said the feud between the Waters' and Barbieri's had been long-standing, and was primarily over the bird cages.
Employees of Mr Waters have this morning gathered at a road block at the end of the street, hugging each other and sharing news of the tragedy which unfolded.
One employee said Mr Waters was "devastated" that his call for help yesterday could have ended so horrifically.
Scores of police remain at the crime scene, meticulously investigating what unfolded.
Fiona and Mitchell Barbieri will remain in custody until February when they are due to return to court.
Police officer 'stabbed in the neck'
Detective Inspector Bryson Anderson, 45, died yesterday after being stabbed in the neck moments after he and a colleague arrived to try and break up a dispute between feuding neighbours at a rural property at Oakville, near Windsor, after a callout about a man firing a bow and arrow over a fence.
Police were called about 2pm and, as a senior officer, Insp Anderson arrived a couple of hours later when the situation escalated following a stand-off. He had only been at the Scheyville Rd property for a few minutes when he was allegedly knifed from behind. It is understood he had walked over to the fence to speak with the neighbour on the other side, when a 19-year-old man allegedly attacked him.
Earlier reports had wrongly said he was struck with an axe.
Insp Anderson's colleague's panicked calls for help, as his superior lay injured, were heard across the police radio network.
Senior police last night said the colleague tried desperately to render assistance to Insp Anderson but he suffered a cardiac arrest.
With no time to wait for an ambulance helicopter, paramedics rushed Insp Anderson by road to Hawkesbury Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione rushed to the hospital shortly afterwards, where Insp Anderson's distraught wife and three children had gathered.
A 19-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, believed to be a mother and her son, were arrested and taken to Windsor police station for questioning.
One of those, who is not under arrest but known to police, is tow-truck operator Kevin Waters.
"No one really wants to talk about Kevin or his operation but he has links to the Comanchero," said a truck industry source.
It is understood those "links" involved writing a reference for an outlaw bikie, who had been working for him and had been charged with murder in 2002. Other residents said the bad blood between the men was well known.
Outside the hospital, Mr Scipione paid tribute to his fallen colleague.
"A veteran of the police force ... an excellent officer and a damn good bloke," he said.
"He was called to a dispute and at the scene suffered some serious injuries. He was pronounced deceased a short time after." He said NSW had lost a dedicated, brave and skilled officer, who would have gone a long way in the job.
"Insp Anderson worked for me as a young officer. He was a fine officer then, his tenacity, his courage, his wisdom and his strength stood him in very good stead to go much much further than he has," Mr Scipione said.
Insp Anderson was heavily involved in an investigation of alleged police inaction following the high-profile case of domestic violence victim Catherine Smith.
Ms Smith was found not guilty of attempting to murder her own husband after revelations she had suffered 20 years of terror at her husband's hands. Insp Anderson appeared on the ABC's Australian Story describing Ms Smith as "tenacious" and "probably one of the most singularly determined people that I have ever met".
He also personally delivered a letter of apology to Ms Smith following her acquittal. "It was a step that we could take to try and restore Catherine's faith in the NSW police," he told the ABC.
Police Association president Scott Weber said that the force has lost a colleague and a leader in their organisation.
"He was a father, a brother and an incredibly well-respected officer," Mr Weber said.
He said it was incomprehensible to think an officer could attend a routine neighbourhood dispute, and never go home.
"It just highlights the dangers police face everyday. I ask anyone tomorrow, if they see a police officer pass on their condolences."
A neighbour who knew Insp Anderson said he was a well-known policeman who had worked in various stations throughout western Sydney.
"He'd been around the traps a bit, and for this to happen is really hard to understand. He must have let his guard down which is unlike him," the neighbour said.
Policing is indeed dangerous work, I wouldn't do it that's for sure.
My thoughts are with the family!!
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