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Senior Sergeant Perry IrwinPrint Page 
A tree commemorates Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin, officer-in charge of the Caboolture station, who died in August 2003 from gunshot wounds while investigating reports of a gunmen walking in bushland near Tallon Street, Caboolture. The memorial was unveiled on the 5th anniversary of his death.
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: | Warrego Highway, Warra, 4411 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -26.927031 Long: 150.916729 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Tree |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Crime |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 22-August-2003 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 22-August-2003 |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2008 |
|---|
In Memory of
Perry Irwin
Police Officer at Warra 1992 - 1995
killed in the line of duty
at Caboolture on 22nd August 2003
