HOME AND AWAY: Richie’s deadly mistake sparks a terrifying chain of events – gunshots ring out as a fan favourite is left fighting for their life

This week on Home and Away in Australia, Richie’s attempts to prove himself as a police officer take a dangerous turn, as Summer Bay’s recent crime wave leads to a life-threatening shooting.

Probationary Constable Richie (Rocco Forrester-Sach) has had a difficult start since arriving at Yabbie Creek police station.

Keen to make an impression, he’s repeatedly pushed too far—leaving Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) unimpressed, and sergeant David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) concerned about whether the new recruit understands the limits of the job.

Despite his best efforts to befriend him, Richie’s early weeks in the bay have seen him repeatedly clash with Cash, after getting off to a bad start when he played a practical joke on him.

Richie dating Cash’s sister-in-law Abigail (Hailey Pinto) hasn’t helped matters, but things came to a head when Cash caught Richie secretly looking through the police database, in an attempt to find out why Cash was on restricted duties.

Cash chose not to report the breach to David, which was just as well given that David later caught Richie drinking at Salt in his uniform following his shift. David pointed out that it was going to be his first and final warning.

Cash’s concerns have also been building around Richie’s attitude to the more ‘dramatic’ side of policing.

Richie has shown a clear interest in firearms, citing the 90s cop films as an influence for wanting to get into the force, and has questioned Cash about his own use of guns in the line of duty.

At one point, Richie brought a target from a recent session at the shooting range into the station, proudly showing Cash his score and wanting to put it up on the wall. David quickly shut the idea down.

David later had further reason to be concerned when Richie admitted he’d been researching gun safes, because he was interested in buying a personal firearm.

David was taken aback, pointing out that he seemed like a very different person at work compared with the softer side he showed with Abby.

Meanwhile, a spate of break-ins and thefts have left the Summer Bay community increasingly unsettled, with Alf (Ray Meagher) and John (Shane Withington) joining forces to encourage the residents to stay alert whilst the police search for answers.

The situation recently escalated when Justin (James Stewart) was lured to a remote roadside location on a fake breakdown callout, only to be ambushed and have his van stolen.

This week, Justin again visits the police station to provide more details about the incident. Richie takes the interview, but his approach quickly causes problems.

Rather than simply gathering Justin’s account of what happened, he presses him over the finer details of the theft. His questions leave an enraged Justin feeling as though he’s being treated with suspicion rather than as the victim of the crime.

The interview also angers Cash, who is quick to reprimand Richie.

“I’d describe him as an annoying little brother,” Rocco Forrester-Sach tells TV Week.

“Richie is always there, he’s always sticking his nose into things you wish he wouldn’t, but he’s loyal, got Cash’s back and has his best interests at heart. He so badly wants to be friends with Cash – moving to a new place can be hard!”

“Richie respects David so much too that he runs the risk of brown-nosing, much to Cash’s dislike!”

As shown in promos for this week’s episodes, David gathers the team for a briefing, explaining about the increase of robberies in the area and showing some CCTV of a masked offender stealing from a local store.

Later, Richie and a fellow officer are out on patrol when they spot Justin’s stolen van parked up in the beach car park.

Whilst his colleague goes to take a look, Richie heads back to the car to radio it in, only to be interrupted by a scream.

It’s Lacey (Sophea Pennington), who has just been dragged to the ground by a thug who’s stolen her purse, a man who happens to be wearing the same hoodie seen in the shop CCTV footage.

Despite Richie’s best efforts to stop him, the man leaps into Justin’s van and takes off.

Richie heads towards Lacey to check that she’s okay, but she urges him to go and pursue the suspect.

Richie speeds off in the cop car, leaving his colleague alone with Lacey.

Unfortunately, Richie’s actions don’t go down too well back at the station.

“Richie has taken matters into his own hands, disregarding protocol, leaving his partner, chasing after a suspect and risking his own safety,” Jeremy Lindsay Taylor explains to TV Week.

Whilst Richie pleads with David, telling him he can fix this, his sergeant orders him off the case.

But it doesn’t take long before Richie is dragged back into the investigation, with TV Week reporting that David gets a new lead—Justin’s van has been found, near a makeshift campsite in the bush.

As police descend on the scene, David orders Richie to stand down, but Richie is quickly caught up in the confusion.

With people shouting around him and the confrontation moving fast, Richie panics and pulls the trigger.

A shot rings out, and someone falls to the ground in front of him.

As Richie freezes, the full horror of what’s happened begins to sink in, with a Summer Bay favourite left fighting for their life.

“In the aftermath he is mortified and shocked when he realises what has happened,” Rocco stated in a further interview with The West Australian.

“By the point it has happened, it is irreversible and the damage is done. As much as he wants to make it right, it might not be possible for him. When a life is on the line, even if a person pulls through, I think the fallout follows that person for a long time.”

“He has got a lot of ground to pave to try to prove to people that he is a good guy.”

As Cash arrives on the scene, paramedics are tending to the unfortunate victim and preparing to transfer them to Northern Districts Hospital.

The incident will also pave the way for the first appearance of Dr Amelia Carlisle (Nicole Da Silva), who has taken over the running of the emergency department whilst Levi (Tristan Gorey) is on leave.

Dana has already mentioned meeting her new boss at the hospital, commenting that she “hasn’t really sussed her out yet,” but that she “seems to be very switched on.”

With Amelia thrown in at the deep end as she treats the gunshot wound, will she be able to save the life of the Summer Bay resident?