Phillip Craig Duggan took his own life in January 2019, as police officers and emergency services gathered outside his padlocked home.

Police had arrived around 9pm that night with the aim of taking Mr Duggan into custody after he reportedly doused himself and his partner in petrol from a jerry can and tried to light them both on fire in an apparent murder-suicide attempt.

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Mr Duggan's partner had fled to a nearby friend's house, where she called the police.

On the day of Mr Duggan's death, the two had been drinking and arguing.

Following the call, two police officers arrived at Mr Duggan's house to investigate. They found the backdoor padlocked and the smell of petrol still in the air.

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An attending senior constable knew Mr Duggan from a local AFL club but was unable to get him to co-operate when talking through the door.

The officers notified duty police inspectors and police negotiators as well as Tasmania Fire Service, Ambulance Tasmania and the State Emergency Service - a move ultimately backed by the coroner following the inquest.

As more police and emergency services began to arrive, the attending officers heard two gunshots, ten minutes apart. About 20 minutes later, when three officers forced their way into the house, Mr Duggan was found dead with a bolt-action rifle nearby.

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A subsequent forensic analysis of Mr Duggan's body found two bullet wounds.

The analysis also found a high level of alcohol in Mr Duggan's blood. In his report, Coroner Simon Cooper called the attending officer's actions "proportionate, lawful and entirely appropriate".

"I do not consider the police had any option but to act as they did [...] Forcing their way into the premises was obviously fraught with danger. Their response was, in my view, extremely professional," he said.

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