A man has been shot dead by police in Sydney’s Potts Point on Tuesday morning after allegedly entering an apartment complex and assaulting two women.

New South Wales police said officers from Kings Cross command were called to a unit block on St Neot Avenue in Potts Point at about 10.50am following reports an armed man had allegedly entered the complex and assaulted two women.

“Responding police deployed a Taser; however, this was ineffective,” police said. Police said the man allegedly threatened officers with the weapon before an officer shot him, discharging a single round.

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NSW police assistant commissioner, Peter McKenna, said on Tuesday afternoon that the man had been confirmed dead at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics. He said the women, one aged 48 and one aged 56, were taken to St Vincent’s hospital with non-life-threatening head and facial injuries.

NSW Ambulance superintendent Stewart Clarke said despite the best efforts of paramedics “and the procedures that they did out on the stretcher on the road”, the man succumbed to his injuries.

He said one of the women had “quite significant head and facial injuries” but had been taken to hospital “conscious and stable”, while the other woman’s injuries were “more on the superficial side”.

Asked if police would allege the man had stabbed the women, McKenna said the investigation was in its early stages, but one of the women had injuries “consistent with being assaulted with a weapon”.

“The other injuries are consistent with blunt force trauma,” he said.

McKenna said police had yet to identify the man, believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, and that he had no information to suggest the man lived in the unit complex. He said the two women lived there in separate units.

Asked if the man was known to the women, McKenna said: “It’s too early in the investigation, but we do not believe so.”

A crime scene has been established and a critical incident investigation will now take place. McKenna said the investigation would be subject of an independent review by its Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (Lecc).

“The way and how this unfolded will be thoroughly investigated,” he said.

“I can say this, I have police officers who came to work today safe and well. And I’ve got police officers going home today after being confronted by something very, very violent, who are going home safe and well, although traumatised – for that, I’m very pleased.”

Another critical incident investigation was under way in Newcastle on Tuesday morning into a separate and unrelated incident where a 36-year-old man was shot by police during an arrest.

Police said officers attended a unit block on Honeysuckle Drive at about 8.30am on Tuesday to arrest a man wanted on five outstanding warrants.

They said officers forced entry to a unit where the man, who they allege was armed with an “edged weapon”, confronted them.

“Two Tasers were deployed; however, both were ineffective against the man.”

Police alleged the man continued threatening officers with the weapon before an officer shot him. He sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder, and was taken under police guard to the John Hunter hospital in a stable condition.

Asked if the two separate incidents on Tuesday raised concerns about the use of Tasers, McKenna said the weapons had “been an effective part of our arsenal since they were brought into play many, many years ago”.

“They’re a less lethal option. We do utilise them often with great success, but like anything, they’re not always successful.”