Hero nurse Gabrielle Kelly tells of battle with thug trying to swipe cop’s gun

A SEQ nurse has recounted the terrifying encounter with a wanted criminal as she came to the aid of a female police officer in an act of “selfless bravery”. See the full list.

Nurse Gabrielle Kelly has been awarded a bravery medal for confronting a prisoner as he tried to take a police officer’s gun. Picture: Richard Walker

An Ipswich nurse who helped save a police officer from a man who had been trying to grab her gun has recounted the terrifying moment she thought the cop she was trying to save didn’t make it.

Gabrielle Kelly has been awarded a bravery medal for her actions on November 10, 2018 when she confronted prisoner Tyson Jessen as he was trying to grab Senior Constable Leesa Richardson’s firearm from its holster at Ipswich Hospital.

Ms Kelly said she heard a commotion coming from the room Jessen was in and she walked in to find Senior Constable Richardson on the floor and his handcuffs off but the shackles still on.

Tyson Jessen was shot dead by police in Ipswich Hospital after trying to take an officer’s gun. Photo Supplied Victoria Police

“He had her pulled up by her top, and he was punching her head, because his hands were free,” she said.

“And I just sort of calmly walked into the room and put my arms up between him and her on the floor to block his punches because he was doing a good job and my instinct was to protect her.

“I said calmly please don’t do that. I didn’t get in between them, but I put my arms up in between her and him to stop the punches, sort of all getting to her, and he swung at me, and I went down.”

Ms Kelly said she got back up and did the same thing again, trying to get in between them, and was thrown out the door. She said Jessen stood in the doorway as she was getting up and said “I’m going to shoot her” and closed the door.

“Within about 10-15 seconds of me starting to walk down to call emergency services, I heard bang, bang, bang. And when I heard that, I remember saying to myself, oh my god, he’s done what he said he was going to do,” she said. “The shock set in.”

Senior Constable Richardson managed to get her gun out and shoot Jessen three times. He did not survive.

Senior Constable Leesa Richardson was savagely beaten by Tyson Jessen as he tried to take her gun.

“What the police think has happened is because I was in there and diverting like a distraction and it gave her a bit of time to get her wits about her,” Ms Kelly said.

“At the time, I was just doing what I would always do to protect someone that was vulnerable, especially in someone in my care, and especially a woman, and a police officer when they’re dealing with this huge gym-type person.”

Ms Kelly said she used to think about the incident more often but as time has gone on she feels she was “meant to be there that night”.

Detective Senior Sergeant Ian Thompson of the Ethical Standards Unit, who investigated Jessen’s death, recommended Ms Kelly be considered for an award to recognise her “selfless bravery”.

Originally published as Hero nurse Gabrielle Kelly tells of battle with thug trying to swipe cop’s gun