Tears of tragedy cop’s family
Tributes for sergeant shot dead in station
The devastated family of a “fearless” police officer shot dead inside his own station have paid tribute to him.
Sergeant Matiu Ratana, 54, was fatally wounded after the handcuffed suspect opened fire at Croydon Custody Centre in south London during the early hours of Friday.
The suspected gunman, 23, had been arrested for possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply and possession of ammunition.
He shot himself during the incident and is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
The Metropolitan Police officer, who is originally from New Zealand, joined the force nearly 30 years ago and was nearing retirement.
Tributes have been paid to the rugby- loving sergeant, whose late mother Mary was Scottish.
His cousin Adrian Rurawhe, a Labour MP in New Zealand, said: “Everyone is really devastated to hear the news he has passed.
“He was really proud to be a police officer,er, he was also really proud to b e Maor i from New
Zealand.
“He wasn’t a big risk- taker r but he wasn’t t afraid to challlenge the norm. m.
“He was never er afraid to ask why, hy, he was always ys wanting to find nd out more and nd learn about who we are. He was fearless.”
The politician cian said Matiu was born to a Scottish mother other and Maori fatherer and was the eldest child of an extended family of stepbrothers and stepsisters.
Police colleagues also paid tribute, with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick saying he was a “lovely man, highly respected by officers and staff, and by the public, including suspects he
arrested or dealt with in custody”. Community police officer Jacqueline Kufour said: “He was so caring, funny, everyone knew him.”
Matiu also worked as a police officer in Auckland from 2003 until 2008.
NZ Police Commissioner
Andrew A Coster said: “While Sergeant S Ratana spent most of his h career in the UK, anyone who serves here will always be a part of our New Zealand Police family.”
The sergeant leaves behind a partner and adult son Luke from a previous marriage.
His partner Sue Bushby had been in a relationship with the officer for four years. Sue’s sister Amanda Tessier, a nurse, described Matiu as “a great big friendly bear of a man, one of the loveliest men you could meet”.
A murder probe has been launched into the incident.
The suspect was arrested by regular officers following a stop and search, then handcuffed
behind his back before being taken to the station in a police vehicle.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the suspect was taken into the building and sat in a holding area in the custody suite, then opened fire while still in handcuffs as officers prepared to search him with a metal detector.