Seconds before an inmate was fatally shot by a prison officer, he adjusted his pants, lifted his ankle cuffs onto his calves and made a daring bolt into the darkness, a jury has been told.
Officer A, as he's known publicly for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Dwayne Johnstone, 43, after shooting the inmate when he took off outside Lismore Base Hospital in northern NSW in March 2019.
A second officer had a tight grip on Mr Johnstone before the prisoner pulled up his jeans and ankle cuffs, shoved him in the chest and ran away, the NSW Supreme Court was told on Tuesday.
"He was running quicker than I expected because he was wearing shackles," said the second officer.
Officer A's colleague told the court Mr Johnstone ran across the road towards a dimly lit and closed doctors surgery.
As the shoved colleague gave chase, Officer A drew his work-issued revolver and used words to the effect of "Corrections Officer - stop or I'll shoot".
After repeating it a second time, he shouted at his colleague to "get out of the road" and then fired.
The first two shots missed. The third round, four seconds after the last and at close range, felled Mr Johnstone.
The second officer testified that both he and Officer A took part in a 10-week training course before they were employed by Corrections NSW
"That involved learning about procedures, regulations and also involves learning how to use firearms, batons," he said.
"We were also taught the basics of riots and we performed scenarios."
The colleague also said officers were trained to shoot inmates in the torso if they believed on reasonable grounds they were going to escape, but that they were required to give a warning.
Mr Johnstone had been arrested the day before and charged for alleged assault and possession of a Taser. He was taken to hospital after a court remanded him in custody.
A nurse at Lismore Base Hospital emergency department testified that she was eating at her desk when she heard gunshots outside.
While hiding under her desk on the phone to triple zero, Renee Dunstan's colleague ran into the department yelling "he's been shot, he's been shot", she told the court.
Ms Dunstan's boss then asked her to run out and help with Mr Johnstone's resuscitation.
She will continue giving evidence on Wednesday.
