A newly graduated police officer who was allegedly stabbed twice in the neck during a domestic disturbance in Brisbane chased the suspected attacker and used his Taser before collapsing from blood loss.
The constable, who is in his 40s and graduated from the police academy in July, was responding with a senior constable to a call involving a father and son at Hemmant, in the city’s east, at dawn on Sunday.
Police said a 35-year-old man allegedly attacked the constable with a knife and assaulted his colleague before fleeing the scene. The senior constable was reportedly slashed across the forehead.
Despite blood gushing from his neck, the injured officer pursued the man while holding the wounds to try to control the bleeding. He deployed his Taser but was forced to stop because he was becoming weak from the blood loss.
Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior described the officer as “an absolute hero” for continuing the chase.
“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,” Mr Prior told reporters in Brisbane.
The constable was given first aid before being taken to hospital in a stable condition. Acting Superintendent Heath McQueen said he had suffered significant injuries and would undergo surgery.
Police arrested the 35-year-old man outside a business at about 7am. He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and is due to appear in court on Monday.
Mr McQueen praised the officers’ “commitment and courage”, as well as the “split second decisions” they made during what he described as a fluid situation.
“This incident highlights the inherent risk that our officers face on a daily basis in serving the community,” he said.
