Key Points
- Clare Nowland was tasered by police and taken to hospital after suffering serious injuries.
- Her condition has worsened, a family friend says.
- Mrs Nowland is now receiving end-of-life care in Cooma District Hospital.
The condition of a NSW grandmother who was tasered by police while using a walking frame and holding a steak knife has worsened, a family friend says.
Clare Nowland, 95, was hit with a taser at an aged care facility in the early hours of Wednesday, after she allegedly failed to drop the knife.
Mrs Nowland is now receiving end-of-life care in Cooma District Hospital surrounded by her distraught family after being critically injured during the incident.
Family friend and community advocate Andrew Thaler said Mrs Nowland's condition has worsened as her family remains by her bedside.
"Her breathing has been getting shallower, but she's still with us," he told AAP on Saturday.
Staff from the Yallambee Lodge nursing home called police after Mrs Nowland, who has dementia, is 43kg and uses a walking frame, took a serrated steak knife from the kitchen into a small treatment room.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said women were targeted in the Bondi Junction mass stabbing. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts
"I don't really intend to, no," Ms Webb said on Saturday.
"I've heard what's in the body worn, and I don't see it necessary that I actually view it."
Police would not make the footage public, she said, adding it was protected under the Surveillance Act.
"We don't intend to release it unless there's a process at the end of this that would allow it to be released."
Police had been with Mrs Nowland's family since the incident, and they deserved a thorough investigation to take place without speculation, Ms Webb said.
"What we know so far is what happened, what we don't yet know is why it happened," she said.
"Mrs Nowland and her family deserve that this is done properly. This will take time," the commissioner said.
"We need to ensure that the officers involved in this matter are afforded procedural fairness, and that anything that we say (does not) prejudice the investigation."
The investigation would be highly complex and sensitive, requiring detectives to interview all staff and residents from the aged care home.
"That's a delicate and time consuming role that they have, but necessary," she said.
Ms Webb said she had spent time at the Cooma District Hospital with the family on Friday, and the next few days would likely be difficult for the family.
"My condolences and thoughts are with the family at the moment," she said.
Police and ambulance officers tried to get Mrs Nowland to drop the knife before a senior constable fired his taser once as she slowly approached them, Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter said on Friday.
She fell and her head struck the floor.
The officer who fired the electric shock weapon joined the force 12 years ago and has been taken off active duty.
The critical incident investigation has been elevated to "level one" due to Mrs Nowland suffering an injury that could lead to her death.
Mr Cotter declined to say whether the officer might face criminal charges, saying it would breach procedural fairness.
The assistant commissioner said he had seen the body camera footage and agreed with a family friend it was confronting. He has declined to release it publicly.
