Glen Innes shooting: Helen McMurtrie's partner Garry Huard overwhelmed by community support

Senior Constable Helen McMurtrie was one of two police who Eric Newman fired at on Friday night in a horror incident on Church Street in Glen Innes.

Mr Huard has been by her side since she was flown to the Gold Coast hospital.

In a phone interview with the Glen Innes Examiner  he said he's received so much love from the community it's literally overwhelming.

"Obviously through social media and direct to our mobile phones we've had hundreds - literally hundreds of messages and texts that I simply can't reply to," he said.

"A lot of people (are) acknowledging the good work that she's done and how upset they are that somebody who's as committed to her job as she is (has been hurt in the line of duty)."

He said Ms McMurtrie wanted to express her thanks in person to emergency services and the two civilians who ran to her aid as soon as the emergency unfolded.

Unfortunately, flowers aren't allowed in the Intensive Care Unit and tend to be redirected to nearby police stations.

He said they've been visited by the NSW Police Deputy Commissioner and expect a visit from the commissioner on Friday.

Mr Huard said Ms McMurtrie is able to communicate by writing, and is able to see, though not yet able to speak, and her condition is no longer being treated as critical.

"The damage is a bit unknown but there's certainly no life-threatening injuries there at all," he said.

He expects swelling in Ms McMurtrie's throat to subside by Friday to allow doctors to assess damage to the inside, though they had previously hoped this would be completed by Monday.

Doctors have already removed some shrapnel from her throat on Saturday morning, but there is still some remaining close to her spine; doctors are concerned removing this might cause more harm than good, so are weighing up whether to go in for surgery a second time. 

Colleague, Sergeant Mark Johnston, has already been released from hospital. He was struck in the head by the same high-calibre, centrefire bullet that hit Ms McMurtrie. The man responsible, Eric Newman, turned the gun on himself and died at the scene.

Police colleague Samantha Petty and Mr Johnston risked their own lives by helping to drag Ms McMurtrie to safety while two men ran to their aid and staunched the blood.

Mr Huard paid tribute to a number of off-duty police who rushed from home so quickly they beat on-duty police from regional stations who were sent to assist. 

"To get two police out of a situation where both of them had received wounds to the head from a firearm - you don't get that very often and you certainly don't get them surviving that kind of thing very often," he said.

"The civilians in particular wouldn't have known what they were facing. They're not expected to get involved in those kinds of things but they did so we're very thankful."