A police officer has been left fighting for his life and another is in an induced coma after terrifying stabbing incident in a small town in South Australia where their attacker was shot dead.
The police officers were responding to a ‘high risk incident’ in Crystal Brook, in the state’s mid north around 200km north of Adelaide, just after midday on Wednesday after reportedly receiving complaints about a homeowner’s ‘aggressive’ husky.
It is unclear what exactly happened but the officers were left with serious stab wounds. The attacker was shot and killed at the scene.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens named the two officers injured in the incident and revealed that one has been left fighting for his life, while both have been placed in medically-induced comas.
Police said they were responding to a ‘high risk incident’ in Crystal Brook, in the state’s mid north, on Wednesday just after midday (pictured police at the scene in Crystal Brook)
Officers from the Forensic Response Section were seen outside the house in white hazmat suits analysing the crime scene
Comm Stevens said Brevet Sergeant Ian Todd, the officer in charge of Port Germein, sustained life-threatening critical injuries after being stabbed in the neck, arm and hands.
Brevet Sergeant Jordan Alley, officer in charge of Crystal Brook, suffered stab wounds to his right leg and arm.
Both officers have been flown to Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious but stable condition and have been placed in induced comas.
Commissioner Stevens revealed that the officers were paying the man, who is believed to be aged in his mid-50s, a visit following a ‘disturbance’ at the local supermarket on Tuesday.
‘There was a minor disturbance at the local supermarket in Crystal Brook,’ he said.
‘The police officers were following up as a result of that incident.’
He later described the incident as ‘relatively benign’ but said it warranted the police to follow-up.
Commissioner Stevens said the shocking incident had devastated the tight-knit police community in Crytsal Brook and the surrounding area.
‘Ian has a son-in-law who is the officer in charge of Kadina police station, while Jordan’s partner is a constable and his father is also a police officer and the officer in charge of Hallett police,’ he said.
‘So as you can appreciate, there are family members who are directly involved in terms of the impact of this particular incident both as family members and also as police officers.’
The police commissioner also revealed that a local resident had provided aid to one of the injured officers during the incident.
‘We’re very grateful for that person stepping forward and providing critical support,’ Comm Stevens said.
Comm Stevens praised the first responders.
‘In all likelihood (ambulance officers’) swift actions very likely saved the life of at least one police officer,’ he said.
Officers from the Forensic Response Section were seen outside the house in white hazmat suits analysing the crime scene.
Major Crime Detectives and the officers from the Internal Investigation Section were also attending the scene, with police cars lining the streets.
It is understood the officers were initially attending the house in relation to complaints about the occupant’s dog, a husky, that had been ongoing.
A local shop owner who did not wish to be identified said the owner of the dog had been in to buy his weekly lotto ticket before the attack occurred.
The shop owner said people had been complaining about the dog for ‘some time’.
‘It was a very aggressive dog, both in his front yard and when it was tied up out the front of shops in the main street,’ they told The Advertiser.
‘I actually felt sorry for the dog because it would get quite anxious when it was tied up.’
The shop owner said the dog’s owner had been living in the area for about five years.
‘He kept to himself, when he came into the shop he was always very pleasant and polite,’ they said.
Helicopter landing at Crystal Brook just before midday. Picture CFS.JPG
Another Crystal Brook shop worker called Chloe said she had just served the alleged attacker before the incident unfolded.
‘I served him probably just over half an hour before the incident took place … I’m in shock,’ she told FIVEaa.
‘It was just a normal interaction with him. He has come in the past a few times a bit on edge after a few incidents with his dog but this was just a normal morning and he seemed very happy and we were just chatting about the rain and how it takes him so long to dry his dog because of how big he is.
‘Not long after we found out there was a siege down the street where he lived.’
‘It was pretty scary and hard to hear – these things don’t happen in your small country town very often. We serve him daily, it’s not nice to hear.’
Police Association president Mark Carroll said the incident was a reminder of the dangerous of working on the force.
‘This is a horrifying reminder of the levels of extreme violence front-line police officers face in the line of duty,’ he said.
‘Details about this tragic incident are scarce at the moment, but we do know that both officers are badly hurt, and one is in a serious condition in hospital.
‘The Police Association is currently providing support to both the impacted officers and their families.’
Premier Peter Malinauskas has been briefed on the incident.
‘Our frontline police do an inherently difficult and dangerous job each day when they go to work,’ he said.
‘They exercise this duty with courage and bravery. My thoughts, and I’m sure those of all members, are with these two officers and their families.’
More to come
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