A Helmet Saved His Life - Sam Clarke was Shot in the Head During 2023 Auckland Shooting

On the morning of July 20th 2023, New Zealand was shocked by a shooting at Commercial Bay in Auckland’s CBD.

A man on electronically monitored bail took a gun to the construction site where he was working. He killed two colleagues with a shotgun, wounded seven other people, including a police officer, and then killed himself.

Sam Clarke, a husband and father, was shot that day. But he is not included in that list of victims.

Sam was working his dream job as a member of the NZ police Armed Offenders Squad when he was hit in the helmet by a bullet from the gunman. It was a job he loved, but a job he had to turn his back on because it nearly cost him his life.

This is part of his story.

In vivid detail he talks about the morning of July 20 and how it played out from the perspective of an on-duty cop.

Dealing with a concussion and struggling to reassure his loved ones, he was ok in the immediate aftermath.

The comprehensive support provided by the police force, including psychological and medical help.

The emotional and physical toll the incident took on him. And the transformative power of therapy and vulnerability.

Some of Sams personal experiences about overcoming anxiety, dealing with flashbacks and much more.

It’s the first time Sam has done anything like this, and I can’t thank him enough for his courage in being so open and vulnerable with sharing his experience.