The partner of the murdered police officer Matiu Ratana pays tribute to the ‘soul mate’

The partner of the murdered Kiwi policeman Matiu Ratana paid tribute to her “gentle giant” after the London policeman was shot and killed inside a police station.

The 54-year-old sergeant was shot multiple times in the chest by a handcuffed man at Croydon Custody Center, south London, early Saturday morning.

Ratana, who hails from Hawke’s Bay and worked for Auckland police for five years, was approaching the shooter for a Covid-19 temperature test when he was shot point-blank.

In a statement released by the Metropolitan Police, his partner Su Bushby said: “There really are no words to express how I feel right now about the loss of Matt; about losing someone I loved, and was so close, in such a way a tragic way.

“I know that Matt touched the lives of many, many people with his kindness, patience, kindness, enthusiasm and affection.

“I had the pleasure of sharing five years of my life with this charming man, my gentle giant, with his contagious smile and his big heart. I think of him with tenderness and love.”

“Matt was my partner, friend, confidant, supporter and soul mate.

“We will miss him very much, but we will never forget him. Matt will always be in my head and in my heart.”

The suspect in the murder of the veteran Kiwi Metropolitan Police sergeant was named Louis De Zoysa yesterday.

The 23-year-old, who is believed to have later shot himself, remains in critical condition at the hospital, and police say they have not yet been able to speak to him as part of the investigation into his murder.

Community leaders in the London suburb of Croydon paid tribute to him in a video shared on social media.

Spokeswoman Sir Lindsay Hoyle invited MPs to pay their respects in the Commons, paying their own tribute to the beloved officer.

He said: “I am sure all the honorable members will wish to join me in paying their respects to Police Sergeant Matt Ratana, who was killed in the performance of his duties on Friday, and sending our condolences to his family.

“Yesterday was National Police Memorial Day, and I ask all honorable members to stand and observe a minute of silence to commemorate that occasion and remember Matt Ratana.”

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick previously said that Ratana was an “extraordinary person.”

He said the “terrible” death of an officer who was “very good at his job” could help the public to “see the police for who we are: human beings, going to work to help people, to support people. and to protect “. people, “adding that,” Matt was the epitome of that. “