Former inspector recalls trauma of 1999 siege that killed four officers
Inspector Geoffrey McKinna spoke at a memorial service about the 1999 Kangaroo Flat shooting. Four officers were shot in the incident.
Former Bendigo police inspector Geoffrey McKinna shared his story at a remembrance service on Wednesday. The service was for Victorian officers who died in the line of duty.
On October 1, 1999, a 19-hour siege at Kangaroo Flat ended with four officers shot. The officers were Inspector Ulf Kaminski, Sergeant Peter Lukaitis, Detective Senior Constable Craig Miller and Senior Constable Peter Eames.
McKinna was just appointed local inspector that day. He rushed to the scene.
Kaminski was his colleague and friend. He survived but died from illness some years later.
McKinna said the trauma stayed with him for years. At St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, other retired officers shared how they coped.
One said nearly everyone in the police force leaves with some amount of PTSD.
- October 1, 1999
- Siege date
- Four
- Officers killed
- Kangaroo Flat
- Siege location
- 2003
- Kaminski's death
Why it mattersThe service recognizes the lasting mental health effects of violent policing events. It also shows the importance of recognizing officers' sacrifice and the trauma they face.
AustraliaVictoria's police community continues to process one of the state's most significant shooting incidents; the memorial honours those who served and died.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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