A driver allegedly ran down two New Zealand police officers down as they patrolled on foot in the early hours of New Year’s Day, killing one and seriously injuring the other, the country’s police chief said.
The incident shocked a country where the killing of police officers on duty is rare.
The vehicle allegedly drove into the officers “at speed” as they performed a routine patrol of a parking lot, before the driver turned and rammed a police car, police commissioner Richard Chambers told reporters in the South Island city of Nelson. A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged over the incident shortly after it happened at about 2am local time.
One of the officers, a woman, died in a local hospital hours later.
The other was in serious condition but was expected to make a full recovery, Chambers said. A third officer who was in the rammed police car received a concussion and two members of the public were hurt, one of them after coming to help the injured officers.
“There was, at this stage, no indication that was what about to occur, occurred,” Chambers said.
The alleged attack happened in a downtown area of Nelson – population 55,000 – close to the street where the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations had concluded two hours before.
The woman killed, senior sergeant Lyn Fleming, had been an officer for 38 years and was “well-known and hugely respected member of the Nelson community”, Chambers said. She is survived by a spouse and children.
The man charged is due to appear in court on Friday.
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