Queen St shooting: Shot policeman Detective Shaun Winstanley determined to protect public despite nearly dying

The policeman shot in the face by the Queen St gunman who killed two says he has a burning desire to put himself in the line of danger to protect the public again despite nearly losing his life.

Detective Shaun Winstanley was wounded by Matu Reid on the morning of July 20, 2023, in an under-renovation high-rise as workers streamed into the city below.

Winstanley recounted the moment in an interview with Television New Zealand’s Breakfast show this morning, describing what the shot felt like, what he learned during his recovery, and why he is motivated to continue as a policeman.

“It tickled a wee bit,” he said of the feeling.

Detective Shaun Winstanley was shot in the face when he responded to a shooting on Queen St where two people were shot and killed along with the gunman himself on July 20, 2023. Photo / Tony Johnson

“I was completely determined, one, to get out of that building, and two, to move forward from that, and it came from the minute it happened,” he told Breakfast.

“I ran downstairs.

“I got into the ambulance.

“And I’ve since found out that the paramedics on the ground that day didn’t think I was going to make it.”

Detective Shaun Winstanley was shot in the face when he responded to a shooting on Queen St where two people were shot and killed along with the gunman on July 20, 2023. Photo / Television New Zealand

He had found Reid inside a lift shaft on the 18th floor of the One Queen Street building, once the HSBC building.

Winstanley told Breakfast he would run into a building to neutralise a shooter again without hesitation.

Workers shelter on the roof of a construction site as emergency services deal with the shooter. Photo / Hayden Woodward

“I have a burning desire, not exactly to run into a building and get shot in the face again, but I’ve got a burning desire to be among the team and do the job we’ve signed up to do,” he said.

“That feeling when you turn up to a situation, everything’s chaos, everything’s chaotic, just that challenge to take control of that situation, be a calm influence on that situation, use the skills and training, the equipment we’ve got to resolve a job, it is something that really drives me, and without being over the top, helping people, right?”

Police swarmed downtown Auckland as a gunman fired on workers in an under-renovation high-rise as workers streamed into the city below. Photo / Michael Craig

Winstanley said risking danger was just part of the job.

He told Breakfast the gear police wear and the training they go through prepared him for the situation when he confronted Reid.

“We do a lot of training within the police and the particular specialist groups I have been involved in. It sort of felt like another training,” he told Breakfast.

“I suppose that was the mindset at the time and I’m not going to sit here and say I wasn’t scared or worried about getting hurt, but you just needed to put that to one side.

Detective Winstanley says the gear police wear and the training they go through prepared him for the situation when he confronted the shooter on Queen St. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Winstanley shared some of the lessons he had learned during his recovery.

“I’ve had to deal with the ‘what ifs?’

“‘What if this, what if that?’ If I had been standing right in front of that door and didn’t tuck in or was standing right there, I could have been shot right in the face.

“It’s been said I am the luckiest unluckiest guy that day in that building.

“But I’ve learned through the recovery period that you can’t dwell too much on what-ifs. If you were to concentrate too much on the what-ifs you can’t move forward from that.”

Police dealt with an active shooter in an Auckland high-rise in July last year. Photo / Michael Craig

Winstanley made special mention of Dr James Olson, who he said had reconstructed his face.

“There have been a number of surgeries. I’m no oil painting, but what [Dr Olson] has done to make me look the way I do at the moment and go from there to now, he’s done an amazing job.”

Winstlaney also paid his respects to the men who were killed, Solomona To‘oto’o, 45, and Tupuga Sipiliano, 44.

“My heart goes out to the victims, the victims’ families. To some extent, I know how tough it is moving forward.

Shooting victim Solomona To'oto'o, 45, pictured with his daughter. Photo / Givealittle

Tupuga Sipiliano, 44, was killed in the shooting in Auckland CBD. Photo / Supplied

My thoughts go to those who lost their lives that day and those who got career-limiting injuries as well, losing hands and stuff like that."

Winstlaney said one of his greatest motivations through recovery was to be a role model for his sons.

“A lot of thanks has to be given to my wife and my family and friends who have never batted an eyelid.

“In relation to my boys, part of being resilient was to show them that whatever happens, when you physically can, if you can, get up and move.”

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