The murdered Police Officer was a compassionate young man
Venkat Raman
Auckland, June 20, 2020
Constable Matthew Dennis Hunt was a compassionate young man who pursued sports and physical fitness as a good traits of being a Police Officer.
His dream in life was to become a sworn-officer of the New Zealand Police.
Police Commissioner Andy Coster named Constable Matthew Hunt as the Police Officer who was fatally shot yesterday (Friday, June 19, 2020) by a man when he approached his car at about 1030 am in the West Auckland suburb of Massey.
A good Officer gone
Constable Hunt’s dream was also mindlessly killed yesterday.
Like thousands of men and women, he too went through a tough selection and even tougher training process as a Member of the New Zealand Police Recruit Wing 312 in October 2017.
The day he wore his Wing and posed for photographs must have been the proudest in his life.
Less than two years later, his dead body is a stark reminder of the violence that continues to rage along our streets, endangering the lives of those who work to make our lives safer.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that losing a Police Officer was “to lose someone working for all of us, but also a family member, someone’s loved one and friend.”
Police Minister Stuart Nash said that Constable Hunt dedicated his career to keeping people safe.
“We want all our Police Officers to get home safely at the end of every working day. This is a tragic day for our Police family,” he said.
Risky job
Flags outside Waitākere Police Station were flying at half-mast on Friday, surrounded by bouquets of flowers in the hours after the officer’s death.
Police Association President Chris Cahill said though being a Police Officer was a risky job, they do so with the expectation they will return home at the end of their shift.
“It is an absolute tragedy that the very people who run towards danger to keep us all safe, can end up paying the ultimate price in the line of duty,” he said.
Commissioner Coster described Constable Hunt as a ‘person of great integrity and a source of endearment to his family and friends.
About Constable Matthew Hunt
“Born on the Hibiscus Coast, he attended the Orewa College and before joining the New Zealand Police, he completed a Criminology degree and worked as a Case Manager at the Auckland (Mt Eden) Prison. He lived in the United Kingdom before returning home a few years ago,” he said.
Constable Hunt spent most of his career on the frontline in Orewa and Helensville.
Has was recently moved to the Waitemata Road Policing Team.
“Our Police family across New Zealand are mourning the tragic and senseless death of Constable Hunt and our priority remains on supporting his family at this tragic time,” Mr Coster said.
The Incident
As reported yesterday (Friday, June 19, 2020), Constable Hunt was shot on a street at the West Auckland suburb of Massey when he and another Officer tried to stop a vehicle at about 1030 am.
The vehicle has been mentioned ‘as of interest’ to the Police.
According to reports, a man, armed with a long-barrelled firearm alleged shot both officers and escaped in a car which was later found on the nearby Reynella Drive.
The other Officer, who was shot in the leg, is in Auckland Hospital. He is stated to be in a serious but stable condition.
The alleged shooter and his accomplice fled in a second vehicle, hitting and injuring many members of the public, who were treated in a hospital for minor injuries.
Last evening a man was arrested and charged with multiple serious offences including murder, attempted murder and dangerous driving causing injury. He appeared via video link at the Waitakere District Court this morning where he was remanded to police custody until a hearing scheduled to be held early next month.
Waitemata Police District Superintendent Naila Hassan said that the Auckland Policing team and the entire country were “absolutely devastated” by the death of Constable Hunt.
Deaths on duty
Constable Hunt was the 33rd Police Officer killed in New Zealand in the line of duty since 1890, and the first since 2009.
Senior Constable Len Snee was killed in May 2009 by Jan Molenaar while executing a routine search warrant at Molenaar’s Napier home, in an incident which left two other officers and a member of the public shot and seriously wounded.
Coming up next: Police look for woman in Police murder case
