Constable awarded bravery award for response to Waitārere Beach shooting

Constable David Cramp has been presented with the 2026 New Zealand Police Association Bravery Award. The award recognises his actions during a fatal family harm incident at Waitārere Beach on 14 January. Cramp received the honour from Sir Wayne Shelford at the association's annual conference.

Following a 111 call from a distressed nine-year-old girl, Cramp and another officer arrived at a rural home and observed a projectile-shaped hole in a window. After the girl opened the door, Cramp entered the potentially active armed scene without waiting for specialist backup. Inside, officers found a pistol on a table and the suspect, 60-year-old Benjamin Timmins, lying on the floor bleeding heavily. Timmins, who had also suffered a stab wound to the chest, died at the scene.

Cramp conducted an armed search of the house, discovering pools of blood and shell casings before locating three critically injured victims in separate bedrooms. Using military battlefield trauma experience, he provided life-saving treatment to a 46-year-old woman with a fractured skull and two young men, aged 17 and either 21 or 22. He improvised chest seals for one victim using plastic bandage packaging.

The Palmerston North committee stated that Cramp's decisive leadership and advanced trauma care were instrumental in preventing the deaths of the three survivors. Reflecting on the event, Cramp described the scene as "confronting" and noted that his military training was immense in helping him proceed.

Where reports differ

• One report states the 22-year-old male was one of the victims, while another states the victims were aged 21 and 17
• Reports vary on whether Timmins died from a gunshot wound or a stab wound, though one notes he had a wound consistent with being stabbed

Compiled from reports by NZ Herald, The Post, Stuff and 1News.