Shoot-out survivor to be made a sergeant
Tsim Sha Tsui shoot-out survivor Sin Ka-keung will be promoted to sergeant - the rank that eluded constable Tsui Po-ko, who shot him in an underpass just over a year ago.
Constable Sin, 29, who is still in pain from his injuries, was among more than 300 successful candidates for the promotion on a list released by the police yesterday.
The news came two days after an inquest jury ruled Tsui had unlawfully killed Constable Sin's patrol partner, Tsang Kwok-hang, before dying himself from shots fired by Tsang.
Constable Sin, known as Garfield among his colleagues, and Tsang were awarded the Medal for Bravery (Gold) in last year's honours list.
The inquest into the deaths of Tsui, Tsang, Constable Leung Shing-yan and bank guard Zafar Iqbal Khan heard that Tsui had passed the sergeant's exam four times between 1993 and 2001 but had been turned down for promotion the first time and had not sought it on the other occasions.
The jury also ruled Tsui unlawfully killed Leung and Khan in 2001.
The 309 constables on the list released yesterday will be promoted during this financcial year, as vacancies arise and in order of seniority.
On March 18 and 19, Constable Sin's appearance in court drew heavy media attention as he spoke of his fatal encounter in the Canton Road/Austin Road underpass in the early hours of March 17 last year.
Ballistic evidence showed Tsui fired one bullet to kill Tsang, and Tsui died after Tsang pumped five bullets into his torso. It also revealed that Constable Sin, who put up a struggle with Tsui in the underpass, fired two shots during the gun battle. Constable Sin suffered gunshot wounds to his face and leg. He was in hospital for more than two months.
He told the court he had not fully recovered from the injuries and needed more treatment and surgery.
'Maybe the bullets affected the nerves. Some of my teeth fell out. And my left foot has lost some of its sensation and is always in pain,' he said, adding that his hearing and vision were not as clear as before.
