BURKE Patrick Martin John

Detective, New Zealand Police, of Cambridge

CITATION

The New Zealand Bravery Medal

Special Honours List 29 January 2005

On 31 August 1999, Detective Burke was on patrol by himself in an unmarked Police car when he was advised that a man had shot and wounded a woman at a nearby address in Stoke. The woman had recently taken out a temporary protection order against the offender. The offender had left the address, hi–jacked a car causing injury to the driver, and driven off. Shortly afterwards, Detective Burke noticed the offender pass him going in the opposite direction. He turned his vehicle around and chased the offender's car, with his siren and red and blue lights activated. The man continued into an industrial site where he stopped suddenly, opened his door and emerged carrying a shotgun. Detective Burke, who was unarmed, stopped his car only four metres away from the offender, opened his door, stood up and called three times for the man to drop his firearm. The man then placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and fired the weapon, severely wounding himself. He was later convicted of the attempted murder of the woman.

KNOWN AWARDS

New Zealand Bravery Medal

NOTES

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Died:

THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT