Shot officer 'pleased to be alive'

BY DAVID GADD

The constable gunned down yesterday is groggy, in pain still, but just pleased to be alive, his father has said.

David Snow has been at son Jeremy Snow's bedside in Middlemore Hospital today and other family are flying in from Australia.

He spoke today of a son, 28, who had always been passionate to be a policeman - that or a truck driver.

Mr Snow joked that Jeremy was always glad the height demands of police work were lifted so he could quit a temporary stint as a truckie to join the force.

Constable Snow did not realise how close he came to death from bleeding after being shot in both legs and the elbow, puncturing the femoral artery, his dad said.

He had never lost consciousness during the whole event.

He said the family were shocked at the shooting. They never expected it, despite his frontline work. But Mr Snow said police work was no more dangerous than construction work.

"It is just a job."

"You never expect these things to happen."

But it had not put him off being an officer.

Meanwhile Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, officer in charge of the inquiry, said a 28-year-old man was officially charged with attempted murder of today at a bedside hearing in Middlemore Hospital.

He is in a ward at Middlemore recovering from police dog bites - in the same hospital just floors apart from the intensive care unit where constable Snow is recovering.

The man charged with the shooting has name suppression. He was remanded to re-appear in court on 12 January.

No one else has been charged.

But police are hunting for Darren Thomas Court, a 43-year-old, in relation to the incident. He is also currently wanted on unrelated matters involving car theft and "behaviour offences."

Mr Guntry told Radio New Zealand that police believed he was at the house at the time of the shooting.

He warned people not to approach him and urged anyone who knows his whereabouts to call 09 262 9111.

 

ROUTINE JOB GONE WRONG

As he lay on a Papatoetoe driveway bleeding, Constable Snow's colleagues went to his rescue, risking their own lives.

Mr Snow underwent seven hours of life-saving surgery, and was last night in Middlemore Hospital, South Auckland, where he was expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Snow was likely to be in hospital for some time.

Police investigators interviewed him last night and managed to obtain his version of events, Mr Bush said.

The shooting comes at the end of a harrowing 18 months for police in which seven officers have been shot, two fatally. The sequence has revived calls for officers to be armed.

Last night the constable's grandfather, Gordon Snow, of Manurewa, said his grandson had never raised concerns about his safety to his family. He would not have used a gun even if he had access to one.

"If he had a rifle, he wouldn't use it [because] he's so considerate and good-souled."

Mr Snow was told by officers that a police dog bit one of the men, badly wounding him, when they were taken in for questioning.

His grandson had appeared to be doing well and the family were very relieved, Mr Snow said. "We're ... all praying for him." Many of the family were by his bedside.

Yesterday's events unfolded in the early hours.

At 4.10am Mr Snow, described as a passionate officer, was on patrol in Papatoetoe when he and a colleague stopped to check a car with hazard lights flashing in a driveway.

When he walked on to the property someone opened fire. Three bullets hit him – one in each leg, and one in an elbow. The wound to his right leg opened his femoral artery.

As he lay wounded, his colleagues rallied, and after 10 minutes officers dashed 50 metres to where Mr Snow lay, dragging him to safety.

Much longer, and he probably would have died, Mr Bush said. "The surgeons ... believe if he hadn't received medical treatment as soon as he did, he may no longer be with us."

Assistant Commissioner Viv Rickard described the decision to go in for Mr Snow as "gutsy and brave".

Once Mr Snow was safe, attention turned to the gunman. A search uncovered a shotgun, a high-calibre pistol and a rifle. It was not clear if the firearms were licensed.

Police were expected to focus on four areas around Buckingham Crescent today, looking for cartridges and other evidence.

CALL TO ARM POLICE

The Police Association is calling for all patrol cars to carry guns.

President Greg O'Connor is confident the public will now support some form of routine arming of police.

Only some "first response" cars routinely carry firearms. The patrol car driven by the two officers yesterday did not have one.

"Police should have access to firearms when they need them," Mr O'Connor said.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad was unavailable for comment.

Police Minister Judith Collins said she was very concerned about what she called an increasing disrepect for the law, where offenders were willing to take "pot shots" at police.

- with The Dominion Post and NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News