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Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin Print Page Print this page

11-March-2015
11-March-2015

Photographs supplied by Russell Byers

The seat commemorates the tenth anniversary of the Police Officer's death.  Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin, the officer-in-charge at the Caboolture station, died in August 2003 from gunshot wounds while investigating reports of a gunmen walking in bushland near Tallon Street, Caboolture.

On the morning of Friday 22 August 2003, Damien Lawrence Coates, 21 years old, 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'.

Senior Sergeant 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 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 bullet proof vest one bullet struck the officer in the neck and another under the arm through the unprotected side of the vest killing him almost instantly. Mr Coates then fatally shot himself.

Location

Address:Wallace Street North, via Lagoon Creek Historical Boiler Site walking track , Caboolture, 4510
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -27.072541
Long: 152.954833
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Seat
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Crime
Approx. Event Start Date:2003
Approx. Event End Date:2013

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 22nd August, 2013
Front Inscription

Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin

"Service to the Caboolture community"

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au