The two Dunedin police officers who were vital in stopping the supermarket knife attacker last year have been recognised for their bravery.
Constable Sophie Allison and Detective Constable Jeremy Toschi were awarded the 2022 Police Association Bravery Award by Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern on Thursday.
Ardern recounted the events that lead to the attacker being restrained within 1 minute and 10 seconds into his attack.
On May 10 last year, Const Allison and Det Const Toschi unknowingly shopped at the Countdown in central Dunedin at the same time. Const Allison was off duty and Det Const Toschi was wearing plain clothes while on his lunch break.
But their shopping experience took a shocking turn when Const Allison heard screaming "that makes your stomach sink" from the next aisle.
"Without hesitation [Const Allison] raced to where the screams were coming from. She saw a person lying on the ground and a lot of blood on the floor. It was a chaotic scene with people running and shouting," said Ardern.
The knife attacker had stabbed a female Countdown staff member, while attempts were being made by members of the public to restrain him.
Const Allison then saw the man swinging his arms at a second person and what looked like punching was instead another stabbing.
"This time of a male Countdown staff member who was attempting to restrain him."
But the attacker continued in his "frenzied, unprovoked attack" and broke free from being restrained and stabbed a third person who had come to help.
"He then grabbed a female member of the public and stabbed her multiple times before returning his attention to a male victim lying on the floor."
The offender then made his way towards Const Allison brandishing the knife, before focusing his attack back on the female.
Const Allison then rushed to the attacker and attempted to pull him off the female victim. He then lashed out at the officer's head all while he continued his attack on the female.
"Constable Allison picked up a nearby chair and thrust it on top of the offender to pin him to the ground. She threw her body weight down on top of the offender to prevent him from getting up and to restrict his movement as he was still armed with a knife and there was another knife nearby," Ardern said.
Det Const Toschi by this point was alerted to the attack and entered the aisle where he began throwing products from the shelves at the offender in a bid to distract him.
"He then grabbed a chair and rammed this into the offender's upper body in an attempt to force him to release the knife he was still holding."
He then grabbed the male victim who was still entangled with the offender and dragged him away before returning to assist in restraining the offender until more Police staff arrived."
Const Allison said in a statement the screams heard on the day were noises "that make your stomach sink".
"He had a knife in each hand… I released he was stabbing people. He was intentionally going for people's necks."
Const Allison said it's an "absolute honour" to receive the award, while Det Const Toschi said he was humbled and honoured too.
"I am really grateful that my family can be present, especially my son who was very nervous about going into supermarkets in the months following."
