ON JULY 8 last year, inside one of Melbourne’s most popular nightclubs, Zita Sukys’ life changed forever.

The 38-year-old and her partner Dale Ewins, 36, were engaged in a sex act during a swingers party at Inflation nightclub in the CBD when police came in firing.

Ms Sukys was shot in the leg and Mr Ewins was shot in the leg and the back shortly before 4am when 10 heavily-armed police officers stormed the Saints and Sinners event on King St.

The Critical Incident Response Team had arrived following reports Mr Ewins was armed with a gun.

Police allege Mr Ewins was approached by an officer when he reached under a cushion on the couch he was sharing with Ms Sukys and produced a toy gun.

In a statement filed in the Victorian Supreme Court, police say Mr Ewins “swung the weapon around and brought the muzzle to bear at (the officer)”.

Two officers fired three shots at the couple before it was later established the gun was a fake.

Almost 12 months after the shooting, in an interview with Fairfax, Ms Sukys said the “horrendous public event” has been “nothing short of a nightmare”.

“It’s something that you would not wish upon your worst enemy,” Ms Sukys told The Age.

Last year, Ms Sukys said police “blew my leg apart” and that she was “mentally paralysed”. She says she still experiences pain and swelling and numbness in her leg. Her partner has had 11 rounds of surgery.

The couple are speaking out about the lengthy delays in the case. They say police have not spoken to them since their initial statements were provided and the force’s internal investigation is lagging.

But a spokesman for Victoria Police said the investigation is complex and time-consuming.

“The police shooting at a King Street nightclub on 8 July, 2017 is being investigated by detectives from the Armed Crime Squad,” the spokesman told news.com.au.

“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.

“Given the matter is subject to oversight by both Professional Standards Command and IBAC, and with the civil matter before the court, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

In photographs from the night, Ms Sukys and Mr Ewins are pictured in full costume. She was dressed as Suicide Squad character Harley Quinn and, in one photograph, has the toy gun pointed inside her mouth.

Mr Ewins denies he posed any threat or danger. The couple are suing police for lost earnings arising from their injuries.