Desperate attempts to save Queensland cop slain by gunman

A desperate attempt to save a dying Queensland police officer has been caught on camera after he was allegedly shot by a known violent offender.

Senior Constable Brett Forte and his partner had been pursuing known criminal, Rick Maddison, in the Lockyer Valley just after 2pm on Monday when the fugitive began shooting at their patrol car with a fully automatic machine gun.

The police car was then believed to have rolled down an embankment when attempting to avoid the gunfire and Senior Constable Forte was fatally wounded.

Video has now emerged of police officers frantically applying CPR to the father-of-two.

“A hero lost his life today,” state police minister Mark Ryan said in a statement.

Maddison is now cornered inside a farmhouse on foot, where he has been reportedly firing at police officers throughout the night.

An exclusion zone was set up across several hectares, with streets locked down and residents told to stay inside.

"He is contained within the exclusion zone," a police spokesman said.

Negotiations with the gunman have continued overnight, with the siege ongoing.

“I looked out the window, couldn't see nothing, but I could hear sirens then all of a sudden like six or seven short bursts of a machine gun,” neighbour Kyal Pennell told 7 News.

"I haven't heard police fire for about 25 minutes, half an hour, but the machine gun every five or then minutes he's letting off like quick bursts.”

PolAir was assisting from above until Maddison opened fire on the police helicopter.

Senior Constable Forte served with the Queensland Police Service for more than 15 years and was part of Toowoomba's Tactical Crime Squad.

"As you would well imagine, the whole family is devastated," Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said.

"Both his own family, the family of his wife and their extended family. We've lost a fine son today.

"Whilst the full circumstances of today's tragic incident are still being determined, I want to highlight the tremendous bravery and tenacity of our police officers and the incredible dangers they face on a daily basis in keeping our community safe."

General President of the Queensland Police Union Ian Leavers said Senior Constable Forte was a "decent person, a family man and he was respected by all his colleagues".

"One of our colleagues was murdered this afternoon by simply trying to apprehend an offender," he said.

He said this could have happened to a police officer "anywhere in Australia".

Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner for regional operations Peter Martin said the event highlighted the risk police officers face every day.

"I commend the work that they do daily," Deputy Commissioner Martin said.

The tragedy comes on the anniversary of the shootings of detective senior constable Damien Leading and former deputy Commissioner Ross Barnett.

It's understood Maddison was wanted over a series of serious crimes - including torture.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk sent condolences to the slain officer's friends and family and said members of the public should be "immensely grateful" for the work of the police force.

"Every day, the brave officers of the Queensland Police Service put their lives on the line when they go to work," she said in a statement.