Brett Andrew IRWIN

About 10.44pm on Wednesday 18 July, Constables Brett Irwin and John Edwards of the Ferny Grove police station attended a home in Keperra to execute a Bail Act Warrant on Craig Semyraha.

Initially both Constables went to the front of the house where Irwin knocked on the door. There was no answer but the officers suspected that someone was inside. Constable Irwin went to the rear of the house while Edwards remained at the front. Constable Edwards then heard a scuffle at the rear of the house and Irwin shouting "gun'. Edwards then heard a gunshot and Irwin calling "I've been shot; I've been shot'. Constable Edwards called out to Irwin but received no reply and since he had no cover he withdrew to safety and called for urgent assistance.

A negotiator arrived and successfully talked Semyraha into letting his de facto wife and two children leave the house. However, Semyraha failed to surrender and SERT entered the house. The body of Craig Semyraha was found; he had shot himself and died later in hospital. The body of Constable Irwin was found in the front yard where he had managed to stumble after being shot in the chest.