They were called to the suburb of Bethania at 11:20pm on Tuesday and found a 48-year-old man holding a ‘very real’ looking gun. A woman known to the man was also inside.

After ‘brief’ negotiations were attempted, the man allegedly opened the door and threatened police.

“Fearing for their own safety, both officers discharged their service firearms, with the person of interest being struck in the lower limbs,” acting superintendent Tod Reid said on Wednesday.

First aid was provided at the scene and the man is in a stable condition under police guard at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

He is expected to face charges.

While he wouldn’t specify how many rounds were fired, Supt Reid said two officers discharged their weapons.

“After he opened the door he pointed the firearm at them… out of fearing for their own lives they were forced to take that immediate action to stop that threat,” he said.

“I wouldn’t describe it as luck (that no one else was injured), but part of what ethical standards command will look at in their investigation is the appropriateness of the response overall.”

The man was known to police and is believed to have made the initial triple zero call.

The woman was not physically harmed, and Reid said they appeared to be friends rather than in a relationship.

She was visiting the unit at the time.