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Reluctant hero Len Holmwood is among 14 people being honoured for bravery today after they risked their safety in a hail of gunfire during the 2009 Napier siege.
Mr Holmwood tried to wrestle the weapon from his friend, Jan Molenaar, after the gunman shot and wounded two policemen and killed Senior Constable Len Snee during the May 7 standoff.
The humble hero was himself shot and wounded during the tussle but his actions helped save the lives of senior constables Grant Diver and Bruce Miller.
Mr Holmwood was today awarded the Bravery Star, New Zealand's second-highest bravery award.
"It's a great honour, but there's a lot of other people who are deserving of awards and stuff too," he told NZPA.
"The real heroes are those guys who go day in, day out -- lifeguards, search and rescue. Those guys are just great."
Mr Holmwood said he would "most likely" do the same thing again if faced with similar circumstances but added that adjusting to all the attention had been somewhat overwhelming.
"I'm a fairly quiet person, so being out there has been a bit hard," he said.
"I just tried to do the right thing on the day, it was just a snap decision. Well, it wasn't even a decision -- it was just a reaction."
Mr Holmwood said he would wear the medal "on the right occasions"; he wore a local hero award he received from KiwiBank on the anniversary of the shootings last year.
He was also the fourth recipient of the Bruce Butler Award for bravery in November 2009.
Four policemen also received the Bravery Star for their part in the siege.
Detective Sergeant Tim Smith received the medal for helping rescue his two wounded colleagues. He was unarmed and the car he was driving was twice hit by bullets.
Armed offenders squad members Constable Michael Burne, Senior Constable Dennis Hurworth and Senior Constable Paul Symonds, who were among the first on the scene, also received the Bravery Star.
The trio narrowly avoided being shot as Molenaar let off a volley of 13 shots, some of which passed above their heads through a wooden fence they had taken shelter behind.
The third-highest bravery award, the Bravery Decoration, was awarded to Senior Sergeant Anthony Miller, Sergeant Heath Jones and Constable Kevin Rooney for helping their wounded colleague.
Mr Miller and Mr Rooney used their own bodies to shield Senior Constable Bruce Miller, while Mr Jones provided cover as the wounded man was evacuated.
The fourth-ranked Bravery Medal was awarded to three police officers, two civilians and a St John ambulance paramedic for their parts in the siege.
Detective Paul Buckley and Senior Constable Bradley Clark received the medal for helping rescue Mr Holmwood, while Detective Sergeant Nicholas Clere and paramedic Stephen Smith received the award for rescuing Mr Diver.
Donald Fraser and Christine Jackman -- two residents of nearby Guys Hill Rd who stopped to assist Mr Miller -- also received the Bravery Medal.
Police eastern district commander Superintendent Sam Hoyle said on behalf of his staff that they felt "very humbled and honoured".
"Each one of them acted without hesitation in a highly dangerous situation. They put their own lives in danger to help their colleagues and members of the public.
"There can be no higher honour given to each of them."
Mr Hoyle said the recipients were reluctant to be singled out for praise, saying a "team effort" ensured the successful outcome.
"They all very much feel a part of that team and acknowledge that there were others who also did amazing things during the siege," he said.
"As district commander, I am extremely proud of the actions of my staff and congratulate them for receiving one of this country's top accolades."