Revealed: Suspect in the murder of Kiwi Sergeant Matiu Ratana named after Louis De Zoysa

The suspect in the murder of veteran Kiwi Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana has been named Louis De Zoysa.

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.

The 23-year-old suspect, 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 with De Zoysa as part of the murder investigation.

De Zoysa is believed to have “died” in hospital, but was revived by doctors and is now under armed surveillance.

He had initially been arrested for an alleged class B drug offense and possession of ammunition when Ratana was shot in the early hours of Saturday.

The BBC reported that the suspect was known to UK counter-terrorism officials and that some aspects of his background may feature prominently in police investigations.

The London Metropolitan Police announced overnight that they had arrested a man on suspicion of supplying a firearm.

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Prince Charles led the tributes to Ratana while speaking virtually on Memorial Day for the National Police, saying his death is the “latest heartbreaking evidence” of the daily risks law enforcement officers face.

He added: “The terrible incident in Croydon on Friday [UK time] it is the latest and heartbreaking evidence of the risks our officers face on a daily basis.

“I would like to send my condolences to the families of each of these officers who have given their lives.

“These are losses that we can never replace, sacrifices that we can never pay for, but of which, as a society, we can only strive to be worthy.”

Meanwhile, friends and teammates from the East Grinstead Rugby Club have come together to remember Ratana, who was the club’s senior coach.

The club’s flag flew alongside the New Zealand flag and an All Blacks flag as two periods of silence were maintained for a man described by assistant head coach Ryan Morlen as an “irreplaceable figure,” the Press Association reported. .

Ratana’s New Zealand family told the Herald yesterday that they were “devastated”, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern posted her condolences on Facebook, saying she was “incredibly saddened by the news.”

The father of one was only two months into retirement and previously helped protect Princess Diana, the queen mother and former prime minister.

Although London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said the shooting was not related to terrorism, the motive for the shooting is expected to be the focus of the police investigation.

A UK police watchdog said the suspect had his hands handcuffed behind his back and that they are examining police CCTV footage and body cameras to establish how the shooting happened.

Of particular concern was the degree of thoroughness with which the suspect was searched prior to arrest.