David Rathband

Died

29 February 2012

Age

Rank

Police Constable

Force

Northumbria Police

Cause

Suicide

Duty Status

Off Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Took his own life nineteen months after being shot at close range as he sat in his patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle.

Roll of Honour Citation

Took his own life nineteen months after being shot at close range as he sat in his patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle.

Circumstances

On 4 July 2010 he was shot at close range whilst sat stationary in a patrol car, on the outskirts of Newcastle. The injuries he sustained led to the loss of his eyesight and caused post traumatic stress which ultimately led him to end his own life.

On 4th July 2010, while sitting in his stationary patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle, PC Rathband was shot at close range by a man being sought by police for shooting his former girlfriend and killing her new boyfriend.

As a result of the shooting, David lost his sight in both eyes and and suffered post traumatic stress, which ultimately led him to take his own life while at home on 29th February 2012.

PC Rathband was praised for his charity work after starting the Blue Lamp Foundation to help emergency service staff injured in the line of duty.