Puppy consoles grieving dog handler

Police officers describe shooting

KIRK HARGREAVES/The Press

NEW FRIEND: Senior Constable Bruce Lamb gets to know 11-month-old Mylo, a black labrador given to him by the Christchurch dog squad.

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Christchurch police officer Bruce Lamb has a new puppy, but says it cannot replace the dog that helped save his life.

Senior Constable Lamb, 50, was shot in the face, his partner, Constable Mitchel Alatalo, was shot in the leg, and Lamb's police dog Gage was killed during a visit to a Phillipstown house on July 13.

Christopher Graeme Smith, 34, has been charged over the shootings, unlawful possession of firearms and possession of cannabis.

Lamb bears the scars from the bullet that entered below his lip, shattered his jaw in 15 places, and exited below his ear. The initial impact was like "being kicked in the head", he said at a media conference yesterday.

"I didn't realise how significant it was until I put my hand to my jaw. All I could feel was broken jaw, teeth, and a lot of blood. I was 100 per cent sure I was going to die," he said.

Lamb, a dog handler for 23 years, broke down while speaking about his dead German shepherd.

"Gage's response in the house was nothing short of courageous. He saved me 100 per cent from being shot a second time."

After being shot, Lamb ran from the Buccleugh St house, with Gage still on his leash.

"I ran 20 paces and I looked down and I was dragging a dog that was dead. One of the worst decisions I think I made was leaving him in the middle of the road. I had a lot of difficulty seeing him lying there each time I looked at the TV."

The Christchurch dog squad has given Lamb a black labrador puppy called Mylo.

"I'm going to foster him and socialise him for a wee while and we'll see where that goes. He's not a Gage, but it's nice to have a dog at home again," he said.

While Lamb wants to return to policing, he said he was not sure whether he would work as a frontline dog handler again.

Alatalo, 30, who was shot in the back of the leg, said he was "itching to get back" to light duties soon.

After being shot and escaping out of a window, he did not realise how bad his injury was.

"My leg wasn't bleeding at all. It was stinging. It didn't equate to a serious injury. The adrenalin and the training took over."

Constable Mike Wardle, who was the third officer at the house, said he armed Alatalo, unaware he had been shot.

"About five minutes later, I was made aware Mitch had been shot, so I had to order the fella: 'Come over here. Give me that gun. Get in that car and go to hospital."'

- © Fairfax NZ News