In August, the Star Mail broke the terrible news of when Yarra Junction Police were forced to shoot and kill a man after he’d strangled and attempted to cut his sister’s arm with a samurai sword.
The moment was given the article of the month for August due to its widespread significance and impact.
Police were called to a Warburton Highway property after reports of a violent altercation between two siblings.
Police tasered 45-year-old Justin Filardo multiple times, but were forced to shoot him to stop the assault and save the woman.
It took police eight gunshots to subdue Mr Filardo, who died at the scene.
Mr Filardo is diagnosed with schizophrenia and his mother believed he’d not been taking his medication.
“What I’ve observed is a male strangling a female and without intervention by police, I think that would have been life-threatening,” Victoria Police Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett said.
Read the full article here: mountainviews.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2025-09-02/police-shot-yarra-junction-man-eight-times-to-stop-assault-a-court-has-heard/
