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A witness to the police shooting of First Nations man Aubrey Donahue says armed tactical police said nothing to the man immediately before opening fire, contradicting evidence from officers that they shouted at him to “drop the knife”, a court has heard.

The pre-inquest hearing on Thursday was also told there was no recorded evidence of the moments before the 27-year-old was shot on 25 March 2023 because none of the specialist officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras.

Aubrey’s death prompted Black Lives Matter protests in the small community of Mareeba, west of Cairns in north Queensland, and increased pressure on police to make body-worn cameras mandatory. His family have requested he be referred to by his first name.

The lack of body-worn camera footage was at the time labelled a “farce”. Tactical police have since been equipped with cameras.

The state coroner, Terry Ryan, is holding an inquest into Aubrey’s death.

Counsel assisting Melia Benn told the court police had been called to a domestic violence incident between Aubrey and his de facto partner the night before his death, but had been unable to locate him.

The next day, the woman messaged a friend via a social media app asking her to call the police. When police arrived and searched the woman’s family home, they found the bathroom locked and the woman apparently inside. She did not leave the room when asked to by police. About 30 minutes later, police established Aubrey was in the bathroom as well.

Benn said Aubrey told police he had a knife and made threats to harm police. She said Aubrey pushed a knife part-way under the door to demonstrate he was armed.

Police then called for the armed tactical unit from Cairns, who arrived about 40 minutes later. Aubrey’s family, who lived nearby, have previously raised concern about this decision, and claim that had they been called to help, they could have de-escalated the situation.

Just before 3pm, tactical police concluded the woman’s life was in danger and entered the bathroom.

Benn said the evidence of an unnamed tactical officer was that Aubrey was facing away from him when he entered the bathroom. One said they “saw a knife in [Aubrey’s] right hand” and that he called out “drop the knife, drop the knife”.

Police then fired a single shot “with the intent to incapacitate”. It proved a fatal shot.

Benn said the woman who had been held in the bathroom provided a differed account – that “police didn’t say anything to Aubrey prior to shooting him”.

Under the Queensland Police Powers and Responsibilities Act, police officers must where practical “call on the person to stop doing the act before applying lethal force”.

Benn said there was no body-worn camera footage and there is “no direct recording of what was said inside the bathroom”.

Inquest hearings will be held in Cairns in June. The court heard that a commissioned expert report had offered the opinion that “the use of lethal force was authorised, justified and appropriate”.

A second report is still pending. It has been asked to look at cultural and social factors, including what impact the presence of family at the scene might have made.

• Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636