By Police1 Staff
QUEENSLAND, Australia — An officer was fatally shot during a traffic stop after he attempted to pull over a felon.
Senior Constable Brett Forte was killed when Rick Maddison opened fire on police while fleeing the stop Monday, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported. Other officers received minor injuries. Maddison, 40, was fatally shot by police after a standoff Tuesday, according to Sky News.
Forte’s death is the first of the year for Australia, according to police memorial website.
He served with the Queensland police for more than 15 years on the Toowoomba’s Tactical Crime Squad.
Forte is survived by his wife and three children. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the public should be “immensely grateful” for the work police officers do.
“Every day, the brave officers of the Queensland Police Service put their lives on the line when they go to work,” Palaszczuk said in a statement.
Police Minister Mark Ryan called Forte “a hero.”
“My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the Queensland Police Service officer who was tragically killed this afternoon while doing his job selflessly serving the people of Queensland. I pay tribute to his service. He will never be forgotten. With honor, he served.”
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