Speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, Ms Sukys, who was shot twice in the right leg and has not worked since the incident, told Fairfax Media that her life had been torn apart. "The impact this horrendous public event has had on my life has been nothing short of a nightmare," Ms Sukys said. "The lack of empathy and accountability from IBAC and Victoria Police is alarming. These are the people who are supposed to be protecting innocent members of the public, not shooting them." She said the incident had placed a huge strain on her relationship with Mr Ewins but also impacted on her family life. "It's something that you would not wish upon your worst enemy," Ms Sukys said.

Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad are handling the investigation under the oversight of Professional Standards Command and IBAC. A still from Inflation nightclub CCTV footage. Investigators have not contacted two employees at Inflation nightclub, who were within five metres of the couple as two members of the critical incident response team fired three shots. A Victoria Police spokesman insisted the investigation was proceeding normally. "As with all complex incidents of this nature, it is important that a thorough and methodical investigation takes place, and this investigation can take time," he said.

But almost a year after the shooting at the King Street nightclub, the club's owner Martha Tsamis has accused the force of a "deliberate whitewash". "Those involved need to be held to account and the public provided with a full and open account of the circumstances behind the shooting," Ms Tsamis said. "How long does it take to investigate a relatively simple incident? Police were told the venue was hosting a fancy dress party and that a patron had a toy gun, yet they proceeded to storm in and shoot two people who according to the independent witnesses did not point the gun at police or display any threatening behaviour," Ms Tsamis said. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Ms Tsamis has demanded updates on the probe in a series of letters to Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and Assistant Commissioners Luke Cornelius and Russell Barrett, who was recently appointed head of Professional Standards Command.

On May 11, Assistant Commissioner Barrett assured Ms Tsamis that he would seek advice on the progress of the investigation, but is yet to provide further information. Kim Price, a partner with Arnold Thomas and Becker Lawyers which represents Ms Sukys and Mr Ewins, has urged IBAC take control of the investigation to "ensure a transparent and independent outcome". "We cannot comprehend how Victoria Police can now independently and impartially investigate the incident when it is already entrenched in its view that its members were not at fault," Mr Price said. "Victoria Police are vigorously defending the compensation claims being brought by our clients. They have made various allegations about our clients’ conduct and have denied liability and fault of their own members," he said. The case is expected to fuel concerns about the ability of police to independently investigate their own following an IBAC audit of Professional Standards Command that uncovered "deficiencies" in the handling of internal complaints.

The audit released last week found that 95 per cent of the files checked did not clearly address any actual or potential conflicts of interest between investigators and the police officers they were investigating. An IBAC spokeswoman confirmed it was "actively monitoring'' Victoria Police’s investigation. In December 2017, lawyers acting on behalf of Victoria Police filed a defence statement in the Supreme Court in response to civil action taken by Mr Ewins and Ms Sukys' lawyers. The statement provides a detailed account of the police's version of events on the night. While conceding the "object in question may have been an imitation firearm", police lawyers claim Mr Ewins, who was dressed as Batman villain 'The Joker', reached for a gun under a cushion and then pointed it at officers.

"In response to the threat posed by the plaintiff (leading senior constable) Sanders fired one round and (sergeant) Reid fired two rounds," the defence statement claims. Police admit they then tackled, punched and tasered Mr Ewins, which was "necessary and not disproportionate to the objectives of preventing the plaintiff from controlling the weapon". Mr Ewins has had 11 rounds of surgery since the shooting to repair his shattered shoulder and damage to his bowel. Ms Zukys continues to experience pain, swelling and numbness in her right leg, along with a range of psychological issues. She says she mourns for her life before the incident. Within days of the shooting, Fairfax Media obtained CCTV footage that showed 10 Critical Incident Response Team officers, some armed with machine guns, entering Inflation nightclub and shooting the couple 32 seconds later.

The couple, who were engaged in a sex act on the second floor of the venue, were given just seven seconds to comply with demands from police before the muzzle flash from the first shot can be seen in the video. The footage also exposed apparent breaches of the force's own protocols by failing to immediately separate the two officers involved in the incident. Several senior police told Fairfax Media that the separation of witnesses at a crime scene was "one of the most fundamental steps" of any investigation. The two officers drank water, spoke with each other and talked to bar staff for more than an hour after the shooting at 3.54am. The video shows they then spent more than 10 minutes in a bathroom with at least one senior officer, where they removed their helmets and body armour.