August 21, 2013
Yarraman residents will pause tomorrow to remember the town’s much-loved former policeman, Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin, who was shot dead exactly 10 years ago.
Snr Sgt Irwin was aged just 42 when he was ambushed in bushland near Caboolture by a violent drug addict who earlier in the day had boasted that he was going to “shoot coppers”.
At the time Snr Sgt Irwin was Officer-in-Charge of Caboolture Police Station but prior to that had served at Bribie Island and for almost a decade as the local officer at Yarraman.
The citation from the National Police Memorial describes what happened on that tragic day a decade ago:
On the morning of Friday, August 22, 2003 Damien Lawrence Coates, 21 years, a violent offender and drug addict was evicted by his father from the family dwelling after an argument.
When leaving the house, Coates boasted to his father that he intended to shoot down planes and shoot coppers. Shortly thereafter Coates accosted two youths who were riding their bikes in bushland near the Caboolture East State School.
Coates had possession of a stolen 30-30 high-powered rifle wrapped in an old blanket.
He yelled at the two youths to “get out” as he was going to shoot police.
The youths immediately alerted Caboolture Police and shortly afterwards shots were heard in the vicinity where Coates had spoken to the two youths.
Sor Sgt Perry Irwin and two constables arrived at the area to investigate the shots.
During a search of the vicinity, Senior Sergeant Irwin was walking up an incline into a clearing to get a signal for his mobile phone when Coates, who was partly hidden in a concrete pit, ambushed the officer and fired a volley of shots.
Although the officer was wearing a bulletproof vest, one bullet struck him in the neck and another under the arm through the unprotected side of the vest, killing him almost instantly.
Coates also fired in the direction of the other officers, preventing them from reaching their colleague.
An armoured vehicle was brought from the nearby Woodford prison to reach the Senior Sergeant but he had already died.
The offender’s body was located some time later with a gunshot wound to the head; this had been caused by his own hand.
Snr Sgt Irwin’s funeral, which was conducted with full police honours, was held at the Holy Cross Church, Kippa-Ring, with more than 3000 family, friends and colleagues in attendance.
A procession of police vehicles then escorted the hearse to Yarraman Cemetery where he was laid to rest.
The father-of-four was later awarded a posthumous commendation for brave conduct.
Queensland Police Service Valour Awards were presented in June 2009 to Snr Sgt Irwin and the other police involved in the incident: then-Senior Constable Deane Murrell, Constable Bryce Hertslet and Detective Sergeant Bruce McNab.
Snr Sgt Irwin has been remembered with the naming of “Perry Irwin House” at Nundah which provides respite accommodation for police and their families; and the dedication of a Bribie Island Volunteer Marine Rescue patrol boat in his memory.
A memorial stone erected by the citizens of Yarraman is also located behind the cenotaph in Yarraman.
