Police Commander Comments On Firearms Incident

Senior police investigators from outside the Waitematä Police District will be called in to carry out an independent and robust enquiry into the circumstances that led to yesterday’s shooting.

Waitematä District Commander Superintendent Bill Searle says the enquiry will assist Police to establish the passage of events that led to the shooting at the West Auckland address.

“The immediate facts are that Police went to the Nikau Street address soon after 6.00pm Sunday 18 July 2010 to apprehend a 38 year old male. Officers wanted to interview the man about an alleged arson. Several of the police officers were armed,” he said.

“On arrival at a caravan located beside the address the man has confronted police. A brief verbal altercation has occurred. A police taser was fired by one of the officers but was not effective.”

“The man has produced a firearm resulting in two officers discharging their weapons. Whether the man fired a shot at police first is still not yet clear. The man suffered gunshot wounds. His injuries are not life threatening. He is still in hospital where his condition remains stable.”

“Police are at the scene today to continue their forensic examination at the address. The IPCA has been informed of the incident and will be investigating. Police experts will be seeking to establish why the taser was not effective and whether the circumstances were technical or otherwise.”

“I am relieved that no police officers were hurt or injured in this incident. The officers however are shaken by their experience,” Superintendent Searle said.

The man has been arrested for assault and a police guard is deployed at the hospital.