Inside The Auckland CBD Siege - With A Cop Who Was Shot

This is Shaun Winstanley's first podcast and its an honour to have him on mine, because as you will learn within a few short minutes- Shaun is not a man who is comfortable talking about himself. He is a guest who represents what it means to come back from the unthinkable. On July 20 2023, detective and tactical operator Shaun Winstanley ran into a busy high rise building in Central Auckland’s commercial bay area after an active shooter opened fire. Minutes later, in a dark lift shaft, Shaun was shot in the face at point-blank range. He survived. Barely. And somehow, he found a way not just to recover, but to rebuild. In this episode, Shaun takes us inside that day with remarkable clarity: From racing into the CBD at high speed with sirens blasting, to passing terrified victims on the stairwell, to the exact moment the gunman fired and Shaun realized his teeth were shattered. This conversation is gripping, it’s confronting… and unbelievably human. *** Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate. Generate has a strong track record of long-term performance: You can check out their latest returns on their website. They also have advisers who can come to you and help you figure out the right KiwiSaver setup for your goals. No pressure, just good advice. Head to generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom to book a chat The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds Past performance does not guarantee future returns. And just a reminder, everyone’s situation is different, so I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

00:00 – Welcome & Why Shaun Hates Attention 02:10 – Why He’s Finally Telling His Story 04:20 – Life Before the Shooting: Detective, Dad, “The Vault” 06:40 – Early Adversity & Losing a Friend 07:20 – How Often He Thinks About That Day 09:00 – “Unlucky Lucky”: Gratitude & Mental Resilience 11:30 – The Three Rules That Helped Him Survive 13:40 – The Morning of the Shooting (July 20, 2023) 16:10 – Racing into the CBD: “Like Mario Kart” 17:50 – Running Into the Building Past Injured Victims 19:40 – Entering the Lift Shaft to Find the Gunman 21:30 – The Moment Sean Was Shot in the Face 23:30 – Training Kicks In: Checking Injuries & Getting Out 24:40 – Live on TV: His Kids See Him Bleeding 26:30 – ICU, Coma, & Triggering Moments 30:00 – Reuniting With His Wife 33:00 – First Hug From His Sons 35:50 – Learning to Speak & Eat Again 38:10 – Was the Recovery Harder for Him or His Family? 39:00 – 14 Surgeries and the Long Road Back 40:40 – Therapy, Stubbornness & “Abnormally Normal” 44:10 – How He Feels About the Gunman 46:10 – Is Nicky Proud? Is He Proud? 48:40 – Why He Joined the Police in the First Place 51:10 – Worst Days on the Job Before the Shooting 53:50 – What the Public Doesn’t See About Policing 56:10 – How Firebird Protein Coffee Was Born 58:40 – Building a Brand While Recovering From Trauma 01:01:00 – Designing the Product From Scratch 01:03:20 – Risk, Cost & Not Paying Himself Yet 01:04:30 – How Firebird Became a Retail Success 01:06:20 – Why Firebird Is Different (and Helping People) 01:08:45 – Seeing Firebird “In the Wild” 01:09:50 – The Global Vision for the Brand 01:10:50 – Why He Still Wants to Return to Policing 01:12:20 – Vulnerability Hangovers & Second-Guessing 01:13:00 – What Everyone Should Know About Resilience 01:15:20 – Does He See Himself as Brave or a Hero? 01:16:40 – How His Definition of Success Has Changed 01:17:40 – Advice for Anyone Facing a Life-Changing Setback 01:18:50 – What Sean From 3 Years Ago Would Think Now 01:19:40 – The Good That Came Out of the Incident 01:20:20 – The Kindness of Strangers 01:22:00 – What He Wants His Sons to Know 01:23:10 – Final Thoughts & Firebird Shout-Out

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