Wounded officer grabbed rifle to protect others

Mitchel Alatalo. Photo / Supplied

A policeman armed himself to protect others even as he was bleeding from a gunshot wound that almost killed him.

Police yesterday sought to clear up confusion over the actions of Constable Mitchel Alatalo, 30, who was shot through the left upper thigh by a bullet which narrowly missed the crucial femoral artery.

Senior police dog handler Bruce Lamb, 50, was shot through the jaw when confronting the same gunman in a Christchurch house on Tuesday, while Mr Lamb's police dog Gage was shot and killed trying to protect his handler.

Police initially stated this week that Mr Alatalo was never armed, and denied a photograph published in the Herald of a policeman with a rifle at the shooting scene was Mr Alatalo.

Asked on Wednesday about Mr Alatalo being armed in the photograph, Canterbury police district commander Dave Cliff said: "No, definitely not Mitch."

Mr Cliff was quoted in yesterday's Christchurch Press as saying Mr Alatalo "wasn't ever armed".

"Someone with a massive hole in their leg who's bleeding is not running around with a gun."

Yesterday Mr Cliff had to correct himself and confirm it was Mr Alatalo captured on camera.

"Mitch did not immediately realise the severity of his wound," he said. "Once he scrambled out of the house he was assisted by other [police] staff. He donned ballistic body armour and [got] a Bushmaster rifle which had been brought to the scene after the shooting. Mitch and others worked together to contain the scene and ensure there was no risk to anyone else."

Both officers were released from Christchurch Hospital yesterday and will continue to receive medical attention over the next few weeks.

Mr Cliff said police investigators were learning more each day about what happened.

"Despite being shot in the face, Bruce too made it back to his van and radioed [police communications]. This meant help was quickly on the scene and that other staff knew that an armed response was required.

"Both men were reluctant to leave their roles but the severity of their injuries meant they needed to get to hospital as quickly as possible," Mr Cliff said.

"It's a testimony to the courage of Bruce and Mitch that even after they had been shot they continued to do everything possible to protect others from being hurt."

It will be several days before the two injured officers can be formally interviewed by detectives about what happened.

"Bruce and Mitch are getting better by the day but they still have a painful recovery ahead of them," Mr Cliff said.

"I know both of them are itching to get home and try and get some normality back into their lives."

Christopher Graeme Smith, 34, has been charged with attempting to murder both officers, and with killing Gage.