Bordertown, South Australia police officer shoots: Sergeant Jason Doig killed
A veteran and well-known police officer who was shot dead during a violent confrontation in South Australia has been identified as Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig.
The officer and colleagues Constable Rebekah Cass and Sergeant Michael Hutchinson went to a remote property in the rural community of Senior, near the Victorian border in the state’s south-east, about 11.20pm on Thursday to investigate reports that a dog had been shot by a man .
They were confronted by an armed suspect and Sergeant Doig, 53, was shot.
His colleagues and paramedics tried to revive him, but he died on the spot.
Sergeant Doig had been in law enforcement for almost 35 years and was in charge of the Lucindale police station, a small town of 600 people 125 km from Senior.
The male suspect, 26, was shot by police and suffered serious life-threatening injuries.
Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig (pictured) was tragically killed in the line of duty. He had been with the SA Police since 1989
He was taken to Adelaide for treatment, where he remains in hospital under police guard.
Sergeant Hutchinson 59 was also shot and suffered non-life threatening injuries.
He provided first aid to his colleague and the suspect before he too was flown to a hospital in Adelaide.
His Bordertown colleague Constable Cass 31 was not physically injured in the incident. She also provided first aid to her colleagues and the suspect.
Major detectives, forensic investigators and internal investigation officers remained on the scene Friday.
The exact circumstances leading to the tragic incident remain unclear.
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens is on his way to the scene and has expressed his condolences to Sergeant Doig’s loved ones.
SA Sergeant Michael Hutchinson (pictured) was also shot. He was flown to Adelaide with non-life-threatening injuries
Sergeant Doig was highly respected by his colleagues and had been a member of the southeastern community for over fifteen years.
“No one is left untouched by the tragic incident, there would not be a single police officer today who has not reflected on the sacrifice Jason made and the risk inherent in the role of the police,” Commissioner Stevens told reporters. on Friday.
‘This was one of those jobs that was part of the daily routine of police officers.
“You can only imagine in the early hours of this morning how many people were scrambling to find out if it was someone they cared about who was involved in this incident.”
“Police officers come to work knowing there are risks associated with the job, but this is a stark reminder of what those risks can lead to.”
Two SA Police officers and an armed suspect were shot during a late-night incident near the Victorian border. In the photo, a medical rescue helicopter is on site
Sergeant Doig has become the first SA police officer to be killed in the line of duty in 21 years.
Motor Officer Senior Constable Bogdan (Bob) Sobczak was the last to die in a road accident in 2002.
SA Police Minister Joe Szakacs was in contact with the commissioner throughout the night.
“A heinous act of violence has left one SAPOL officer dead and another seriously injured,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“This is unthinkable, tragic and shocking.”
SA Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas has been informed of the ‘terrible news’.
Foreign Minister and SA Senator Penny Wong said her thoughts were with the loved ones of the murdered officer and the police community.
“Every day police risk their lives to keep us all safe,” she posted on X.
“I am devastated for the family of a South Australian officer who was killed while protecting our community.
“We hope for a full recovery of his injured colleague.”
The fatal shooting took place near the South Australia-Victoria border, 270 kilometers south-east of Adelaide
Federal Opposition Leader and former police officer Peter Dutton also paid tribute and urged other Aussies to do the same.”
“Someone has died and a family has lost a loved one,” he told Nine’s Today Show.
“They shifted and tried to do the right thing and help people. They met someone who had evil thoughts and outcomes.
“The community needs to stop and pause again and thank our police officers for the work they do.”