A paramedic called to the scene after the fatal shooting of Constable Matthew Hunt last year, says the other officer who was shot at 10 times during the incident was “calling out in pain”, when she arrived to help.
It’s the second day of the trial for 25-year-old Eli Epiha, the man who’s been convicted of murdering Constable Matthew Hunt in June last year.
A jury is tasked with determining whether he’s also guilty of attempting to kill Constable David Goldfinch, Hunt’s police partner that day.
Natalie Bracken, 31, is also on trial for being an accessory after the fact of murder, accused of helping Epiha to escape the scene.
Eli Epiha has been convicted of murdering Constable Matthew Hunt in Auckland in June, 2020.
Constable Goldfinch was hit by four bullets as he ran from the killer in the West Auckland suburb of Massey.
Paramedics were diverted to help him on a nearby street.
St John Paramedic Joanne Stuart said as her team arrived the scene was “chaotic”.
“Constable Goldfinch was on the floor. He was being supported by other police officers.
“His right trouser leg was rolled up. I could see he had a bandage. He was in a lot of pain.”
Stuart was the first witness to be called at the High Court in Auckland today.
She recounted how she arrived at the hospital with Goldfinch just minutes after Hunt.
She was asked to wait in the ambulance with him, as he was stable, while medical staff “worked with Matthew (Hunt)".
Statements were read from two other paramedics who attended the scene.
One was tasked with treating the member of the public hit by Epiha, as he tried to evade police before the shooting.
Trent Hirst’s statement, read out by Crown lawyer Brian Dickey, said the man couldn’t recall being hit.
He was loading his car for a family trip to Rotorua that morning.
Eli Epiha has admitted to the killing but denies intending to kill Hunt's partner who was also shot multiple times.
“All he could remember was that he was leaning in the boot, then was dragged into the driveway by his wife”.
“I could see he was bleeding from his head,” Hirst detailed.
When Epiha pleaded guilty to murder last week, he also admitted to dangerous driving causing injury to the man.
Paramedic Hirst said they left for the hospital quickly with the man, as “we were aware the offender had absconded and (we) wanted to get out of the scene".
The jury’s also heard evidence from the officer in charge of the scene.
He recounted how quickly he arrived at the scene after being called, and said, “I realised it was going to be a serious crime scene, so I took some photos”.
After that he began seeking witnesses and securing the scene.
The trial before Justice Geoffrey Venning and a 12 person jury is set to last several weeks.
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