Rookie Queensland Police Officer Hailed as Hero After Stabbing, Tasing Suspect
A probationary officer, recently graduated from the academy, pursued and subdued a man who allegedly stabbed him and another officer.
A newly graduated Queensland Police officer is being lauded as an "absolute hero" after he pursued and deployed a Taser on a man who allegedly stabbed him in the neck twice and assaulted a senior constable during an early Sunday morning call-out.
Two officers responded to a domestic disturbance between a father and son in Hemmant, a suburb in Brisbane's east, shortly after dawn on Sunday. During the incident, a 35-year-old man allegedly attacked the officers before fleeing the scene.
Despite sustaining two stab wounds to the neck, the injured officer, in his 40s and a recent graduate of the police academy in July, pursued the alleged assailant, applying a Taser. Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior stated that the officer continued the chase while attempting to control his bleeding, only ceasing when his strength began to wane from blood loss.
"Whilst holding onto his neck to stop the bleeding, he managed to chase after the offender, deploy a Taser but only had to stop because he was getting weary from the blood loss," Prior told reporters.
The injured officer received first aid at the scene and was transported to a hospital in a stable condition. Acting Superintendent Heath McQueen indicated that the constable would require surgery for significant injuries.
The other officer on the scene was reportedly "slashed across the forehead" with a knife. Police apprehended the 35-year-old suspect around 7 a.m. outside a local business. He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
McQueen commended the officers for their "commitment and courage" and the "split second decisions" made in a dynamic situation. He added, "This incident highlights the inherent risk that our officers face on a daily basis in serving the community."