On the morning of 28 June 1997, Roni Levi was surrounded by six NSW Police Officers after being found walking at Bondi Beach with a knife. Levi, who had been diagnosed as mentally ill, spent the previous evening at St Vincent's Hospital, after suffering a delusional episode. After a 25-minute standoff two of the police officers, Constable Rodney Podesta and Senior Constable Anthony Dilorenzo, shot Roni Levi four times. Levi, who died from his wounds soon after, was 33 years old. In statements given on the day of the shooting, Podesta and Dilorenzo reported that Levi had lunged at them with the knife, and was a potential threat to spectators on the promenade. At the time of the shooting, both Podesta and Dilorenzo were the subject of covert internal affairs investigations; one concerning Podesta's suspected sale of drugs, and another concerning Dilorenzo's associations with known drug suppliers.[3] Neither Podesta or Dilorenzo were subjected to drug or alcohol testing after the shooting.
