Cop killer Rick Maddison gunned down by police
THE chilling criminal history, including accusations of torture, has been revealed about the man who killed a police officer.
COP killer Rick Maddison, shot dead after a machinegun stand-off with police in southeast Queensland today, was a career criminal who had a lengthy and violent past.
Maddison was facing a serious of violence charges relating to incidents that occurred two years ago. But those charges — which included torture, assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, deprivation of liberty, common assault, unlawfully wounding and threatening violence — were all dropped last year.
It was the second time the 40-year-old had serious charges withdrawn after prosecutors offered no evidence. In early 2009 he was facing court for similar offences but they too were dropped.
Maddison avoided going to jail later in 2009 when a judge at the Toowoomba District Court suspended his assault sentence for three years. Maddison got into an argument with another man at a nightclub and punched him in the face, leaving him with a fracture near his right eye.
He was ordered to pay the victim $10,000.
Judge Michael Forde told Maddison it was clear “you have a very thuggish element about you” after noting he appeared in 2005 on a similar charge which left another man with a fractured skull after he was punched twice by the defendant.
His offending didn’t stop there though. Later that year, he was again back before the courts on assault and drugs charges. He was convicted and fined.
Then in 2011 he was back before the courts, this time it was for wilful damage, failure to leave licensed premises and being drunk in a licensed premises. He was fined $1000.
Maddison was shot by police when he ran desperately from a shed in farmland just outside Gatton, southeast Queensland, at 11am (AEST), bringing the 21 hour siege to an end.
He may have been shot as many as three times.
Assistant Commissioner Tony Wright told reporters Maddison was “challenged by police” after he began running towards bushland.
“At that point in time, he has fired at those police. Specialist police have returned fire. The male person has been shot and [he] has been declared deceased at the scene.”
The sound of gunfire has rung out all night where Maddison was cornered in a shed, possibly with a machine gun, and had been shooting at officers.
Initially it was believed Maddison had survived and was injured, however attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Maddison, who has been described by a neighbour as “a psycho when it comes to guns”, used a sheltered position to shoot at a circling helicopter, after the killing of Senior Constable Brett Forte yesterday afternoon when Maddison got out of his vehicle and began shooting at a number of police cars.
Mr Wright said the “thoughts and prayers” of police were with Susan Forte, the widow of Snr Const Forte and their three children. Mrs Forte is also a police officer, as are others in their extended family.
“As you can understand, it’s an extremely traumatic time for that family. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the extended police family, the colleagues and friends of Brett who are, at this time, going through a range of experiences, personal experiences, and feelings.”
Earlier today, Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the aim was to negotiate with Maddison, who is wanted by police on multiple domestic violence and weapon charges.
He told media police would do “whatever it takes” to end the siege, before adding he hoped it could be “as peacefully as humanely possible’’.
It was initially believed Maddison was hiding in a shipping container — but it now appears he is hundreds of metres behind the container in a farmhouse.
“We’ve only just moved out here in the last nine to ten months and on average, you’d hear gunshots over there one or two nights a week,” neighbour Peter Hills told the Nine Network of Maddison’s property, describing him as a “psycho”.
.@QPSmedia: the gunman who allegedly shot police officer Brett Forte has died after a shootout with officers. MORE: https://t.co/6t1qtt8QaC pic.twitter.com/aDcQGyYZPp
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 30, 2017
Residents were told to run by police as the siege began yesterday afternoon.
“We were told to run. They said just go,” Kyal Pennell said.
“Police had machine guns and they were on our back doorstep.”
A new video has emerged of fellow officers attempting to resuscitate Snr Const Forte after the shooting.
The heartbreaking footage, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows cops performing mouth-to-mouth and heart massage in a ditch beside a police car.
When officers notice the woman shooting the video, they yell at her to “get inside” and “get away from the window” because the shooter was still at large.
‘A HERO LOST HIS LIFE TODAY’
Queensland Police confirmed that Snr Const Forte died in a statement on Monday night.
“A hero lost his life today,” Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said.
The incident began about 2pm when police attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Maddison on Wellers Rd at Seventeen Mile, near Toowoomba.
He was wanted for questioning and was on outstanding warrants when police intercepted his car just after 2pm.
The warrants were understood to be in relation to domestic violence.
It’s understood Maddison got out of the car and shot at the police car before officers tried to escape by reversing. It was at that point Snr Const Forte is believed to have been shot. A colleague is believed to have shot back at Maddison and then the police car crashed.
Snr Const Forte’s fellow officers were able to move him away and extract themselves from the scene.
Officers from the Special Emergency Response Team arrived and a huge area was locked down around Seventeen Mile, 115km west of Brisbane.
Gatton resident Kyal Pennell told news.com.au that he heard the first shots, which sounded like machinegun fire, about 2.30pm and then a police siren for about 15 minutes.
“Then there was basically gunfire every 10 to 15 minutes from about 2.45pm through to 4.30pm,” he said.
“It was pretty scary, I wasn’t sure what to think, I wasn’t sure what was going on and I couldn’t see anything. I was only hoping it wasn’t getting any closer.”
Mr Pennell said he was eventually evacuated about 5.30pm and was now staying at a hotel with his family as police continued to hunt for the shooter.
Snr Const Forte was part of Toowoomba’s Tactical Crime Squad and worked with Queensland Police for about 15 years.
“My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues ... along with millions of Queenslanders, I pay tribute to his service,” Mr Ryan said in his tribute.
“He will never be forgotten.
“With honour, he served.”
Lockyer Valley resident Kyal Pennell describes hearing gunfire near his home. A senior police officer has been shot dead. #7News pic.twitter.com/RivjoN3xWb
— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) May 29, 2017
Tragically, we can confirm the death of an officer who was involved in a shooting incident at Lockyer Valley today. pic.twitter.com/8Y9AlCHCc3
— Queensland Police (@QPSmedia) May 29, 2017
Police urged nearby residents to remain inside as they tried to locate the gunman.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman earlier confirmed paramedics had been called to the scene to treat two people, one with critical injuries, however only one was transported to hospital.
One person was taken to nearby Toowoomba Hospital with shortness of breath.
NEIGHBOURS RELIEVED
Terry Hayden said the tight-knit Lockyer Valley community of Seventeen Mile was “much safer” now Maddison was dead.
“We didn’t realise the extent of how dangerous the man was,” Mr Hayden said. Locals often heard gunfire from Maddison’s property but didn’t think it was too unusual.
“But now to learn about the capabilities of the man and what he really was doing ... it’s just utter relief (that he’s dead),” he said.
Mr Hayden’s wife Lisa filmed harrowing footage of officers trying to revive their fatally wounded colleague on Monday afternoon.
“She was quite distressed,” Mr Hayden said.
Tuesday is Lisa’s birthday and he said she would be getting lots of hugs from him and their four children.
He sent his condolences to Sen Const Forte’s family, friends and colleagues. “It’s very sad that someone loses their life just doing their job to help people.”
— with Charis Chang, Kim Stephens, AAP.
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