Man with machete shot dead

Police are defending the actions of an officer who shot and killed a man in Porirua who was approaching with a machete.

The 44-year-old man was shot once in the shoulder about 12.30am Sunday and died in an ambulance on his way to Wellington Hospital.

Wellington acting district commander Superintendent Steve Kehoe said the male officer fired the fatal shot on Mana Esplanade. The officer was receiving support.

The incident started in Waikanae, about 90 minutes before the shooting. Police responded to a domestic incident. After officers arrived, the man left the scene by car, heading south.

He was spotted by police, shortly before the shooting. Kehoe said the man approached the police car with a machete in hand and threatened an officer, before being shot. When asked why a Taser was not used, Kehoe said that question would form part of multiple inquiries, including one by the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

As well as the machete, an air rifle was found in the man’s vehicle.