QUEENSLAND TIMES – 12th February 1979

BULLET THROUGH SHIRT - Close shave for policeman

Ipswich Police Constable Richard Mills, 26, points where a bullet passed during an incident in Limestone Street on Saturday afternoon.

The .303 bullet went through his shirt, his singlet and then struck the corner of a note book in a breast pocket. Constable Mills was not injured. Two men arrested following the incident are to appear in court today. Police said one would be charged with attempting unlawfully to kill.

At least two other shots were fired. One brought down a power line and the other struck a police patrol vehicle. A police spokesman said the shots were fired after the patrol car pulled up another vehicle near the Ellenborough Street intersection.

The following is a brief summary of events leading to the above news article:-

At 5.20pm on Saturday the 10th February, 1979, Constable Richard Wayne Mills and Senior Constable Errol Leslie Madden were dispatched from the Ipswich Police Station following a report that a vehicle was being driven erratically in Limestone Street in the vicinity of the Salvation Army Hall in South Street.

The constables drove down East Street and on turning left into South Street saw traffic sign had been knocked down in front of the Salvation Army Church Hall on the left hand side of the road and some, in a group of people, pointed in the direction of Ellenborough Street. They then drove into Ellenborough Street and then left into Limestone Street where they saw a white coloured Ford Falcon station wagon stationary at the left hand side of the street.

This vehicle answered the description as given the police earlier and was seen to have damage to the right hand front. Constable Madden stopped the police car behind the Falcon and the constables then saw a male, later identified as Kevin Schulkins, step out from the driver’s seat showing signs of being affected by liquor.

Kevin Schulkins was question regarding his consumption of alcohol and with that constable Mills walked to the rear of the police car and began assembling a road side breath test when he heard the sound of a gunshot.

Mills then looked and saw a second male, later identified as Norman Schulkins, standing on the footpath between the two vehicles with a rifle in his hands the barrel pointing skywards.

Norman Schulkins then placed the rifle on the ground and walked towards Mills and said “You could have been dead then.”

Mills then saw the driver, Kevin Schulkins, advancing on Constable Madden with a wheel brace in his hands and was heard to say ”Your victimizing me. You cunts. I’ve just got out of gaoland now you are trying to put me back in.”

Mills moved towards Constable Madden to assist him when he heard the sound of two or three shots being fired in quick succession. He looked in the direction of the shots and saw that Norman Schulkins, the passenger, with a rifle in his hands and pointing at him.

Mills was of the opinion that Norman Schulkins was firing blank cartridges until he saw a bullet hole in the police car that had shattered the rear window. He moved to a point of safety whilst Constable Madden sought shelter behind the police car.

Norman Schulkins was then seen to slide the rifle out onto the footpath and then he lay on the footpath. His brother, Kevin, then shouted “It’s alright, he hasn’t got it anymore” and was instructed to pick up the rifle slowly and empty the chamber. Constable Madden then took possession of the rifle and after Kevin Schulkins was arrested for obscene language and placed in the police car Mills attention was drawn to the front of his uniform shirt.

He saw that his shirt had two holes in it, one on either side the shirt, and there was also a hole in his singlet and the edge of his police notebook had been torn.

The matter was investigated by Ipswich detectives and it was found that three shots had been fired. The first shot had been fired into the air and had partially severed and overhead power cable blacking out the nearby area.

The second shot had passed through the shirt and singlet of Constable Mills before entering the side of the police car exiting through the rear window. The third shot was found to have struck a brick wall before ricocheting through a window in the church on the opposite side of the road.

The Schulkin brothers had been kangaroo shooting that day and had been drinking throughout the afternoon.

Kevin James Schulkins, 23 years, appeared before the Ipswich Magistrates Court where he pleaded “Guilty” to offences of drink-driving, obscene language and assault.

Norman John Schulkins, 28 years, was arrested and charged under Section 306 of the Criminal Code – Attempting to unlawfully kill.

He appeared before His Honour Justice Dunn in the Brisbane Supreme Court on the 4th September, 1979, indicted on offences of “Discharging a projectile with intent to prevent detention” and “Assault police in the execution of duty.”

On the first count he was convicted and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and to 1 year imprisonment on the second count.

Footnote: Ritchie Mills later transferred to Texas and resigned from there to purchase a taxi in Inverell.

He later purchased a hotel in Rockhampton before joining Corrective Services where he served for 19 years. He resides on the Northern Tablelands and is a member of the QRPA Cairns Branch.

He recently stated that he missed the police service and the camaraderie for 2 years after leaving but only missed the Corrective Service Services for 2 days.