The latest shooting at the hands of police happened Tuesday in South Brisbane when officers opened fire on a man they say was threatening them with a 30-centimetre metal rod.

Police were called to the Edmonstone St address following reports of an “intoxicated” man in the roof cavity of a building in nearby Fish Lane, a popular dining precinct.

Police say they tried to taser the man unsuccessfully and shot him fatally three times after he had persisted in threatening their safety.

“Following brief interaction with officers it is understood he threatened them and was shot. The man died at the scene,” Queensland Police Service said in a statement.

It is the fifth police shooting in two months and the second fatal police shooting this month.

Police shot a man dead at Airlie Beach early on October 1 after officers said he came at them with a knife.

There have been three other non-fatal police shootings in recent months — two of them on August 21.

A 29-year-old man was shot at Coomera on the Gold Coast on August 21 after allegedly confronting officers with a knife.

Hours later, a man allegedly armed with a weapon was shot by police at Stretton in Brisbane’s southern suburbs.On September 7, a man was shot at a property in the inner Brisbane suburb of Kangaroo Point after he stabbed an officer in the face.

As community fears mount that police may be adopting a harder ‘shoot first-ask questions later’ posture, Leavers has moved to quell anxiety by assuring Queenslanders that police do not want to use their firearms.

“It is an absolute last resort, but I am concerned about the growing trend of substance abuse, mental health and other issues that police are called to respond to,” he said.

“Using a firearm can have tragic consequences, but if anyone threatens the life of a police officer or a member of the community, we will use whatever resources we have including firearms to protect lives.

“I want every police officer to go home at the end of their shift.”

In the latest incident, lead investigator Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said the attending police had found the man aged in his 30s “attempting to pull his pants down” on Edmonstone St near the Greek Club.

He said police tried to speak with the man and that when a police van pulled up next to him he tried to enter the van through the back door.

The officers got out of the van and the man rushed at a male officer.

“The man was armed with a 30-centimetre metal rod with a handle attached,” Massingham said.

“The officers attempted to subdue him using a taser. That was ineffective.”

He said the caucasian man was shot three times by the two officers.

A witness has told the ABC she heard what she believed to be multiple gunshots and people screaming.

The incident is under investigation by the Ethical Standards Command and is also subject to oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

The incident comes as Queensland Police Service executives remain under pressure to fulfil increased numbers of new recruits promised by the Palaszczuk Government at the last election.

The struggling recruitment drive has led Leavers to fend off speculation the QPS has dropped standards and curtailed training in a bid to bolster numbers and get more police on the beat.

“Policing can be a very unpredictable and dangerous job because we never know what is about to confront us,” Leavers said.

“The training every Queensland police officer receives is first class and recognised as some of the best in the world.

“If we are called to an incident today, tonight or into the future we will continue to turn up and put our lives on the line to keep the community safe.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan is due to give a media conference in South Brisbane at midday today.