Daniel King Penrith shooting: Paramedics awarded for courage

One shooter was dead and a second was supposedly on the loose when three Sydney paramedics were sent into the “hot zone” to save a police officer shot in the head outside at a western Sydney police station. Today the three paramedics will receive a unit citation for their courage.

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One shooter was dead and a second was supposedly on the loose when three Sydney paramedics were sent into the “hot zone” to save a police officer shot in the head outside at a western Sydney police station.

Gun-wielding bodybuilder Daniel King opened fire on Penrith police at 9.30pm on October 2, shooting one officer as he ran for the station’s front door.

King, who had also shot up his ex-girlfriend’s home that night, was then killed in a horrific gun fight with other police.

Awarded paramedics Keith Craig, Felicity Ralphs and Lisa Burchett. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Shooter Daniel King was a body builder who also attacked his ex-partner that night.

Paramedics Felicity Ralphs, Keith Craig and Lisa Burchett manned an ambulance without hesitation and began hatching a plan with police to get inside Penrith Police Station where the officer lay injured.

“And there were mixed messages about whether there was a second shooter … that we could potentially be under attack from further shooters,” Ms Ralphs, a mother of three, said.

“I quickly gave my husband a call to let him know we’re going into something dangerous.”

The trio drove to the rear of the police station where they had hoped to perform a “snatch and grab” of the injured cop and race him to Westmead Hospital.

But the perceived threat of a second shooter meant the station was in lockdown and the paramedics took shelter behind walls and thick buildings until a police escort could get to them in.

Mr Craig said: “We got stranded outside the police station in the car park, which is kind of where we went, ‘this is going to go bad’.”

The paramedics went into the “hot zone” despite the threat of a second shooter. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Once inside, the paramedics discovered the shot officer lying on the ground in the station’s meal room, conscious and chatting to colleagues.

“He’s been shot. We’ve found a couple of holes and there’s pellets in his head … he was an absolute champion,” Mr Craig said.

Once police were confident there was no second shooter, the officer was rushed to Westmead Hospital escorted by highway patrol cars. He survived the ordeal.

The paramedics also had to ascertain whether anything could be done for King, who was shot multiple times by police then dragged into the station. He could not be saved.

“We don’t mind having to go the extra mile for police. There’s a little bit camaraderie and it really does come to shine at a time like that,” Mr Craig said.

The three paramedics will receive a unit citation for courage at the NSW Ambulance honours and awards ceremony on Friday.

It’s a humbling honour, they said, for simply doing their job.

“It is nice to be recognised for something you’ve done, but we didn’t ever think we were never going to go in,” Ms Burchett said. “We look after our boys in blue.”

Originally published as Daniel King Penrith shooting: Paramedics awarded for courage