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A New Zealand policeman working in Perth has undergone surgery after he shot and killed a man who stabbed him in the shoulder last night.
The officer is understood to have been conscious and talking with doctors at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, where he was last night listed as being in a stable condition.
The policeman is a recent recruit to the Western Australia police who has served with the New Zealand police, the West Australian newspaper reported today.
Police released few details of the incident but early reports indicated that police had attended a disturbance at a park in the city's western suburb of Floreat, about 6pm yesterday (10pm NZT).
They chased a small sedan which crashed through the fence of a house occupied by people related to the offender, and he went inside the house before returning to confront the officers with a large knife.
One officer is reported to have backed away and fallen into a swimming pool.
The offender then turned to the New Zealander, aged in his early 30s, and stabbed him in the left shoulder. The injured officer then fired his gun at the man, and neighbours said they heard four shots.
The police internal investigation unit and major crime squad cordoned off roads near the house.
WA Police Union president Mike Dean, who visited the New Zealander in hospital shortly after the incident, said the policeman was shocked but expected to make a full recovery.
"One of his first questions was about how his colleagues were doing," Mr Dean said.
- DAVID EAMES, NZPA
