Gang leader’s son fights for life after shooting
A gang leader’s son is fighting for his life after a double shooting north of Christchurch, sparking fears of tit-for-tat violence.
Police were called to a property in Kaiapoi about 3.30am yesterday after a man arrived seeking help. That man, patched Mongrel Mob Aotearoa member Fairmont Joseph Wiringi, had been shot in the arm and torso and was taken to Christchurch Hospital. He remains in a coma.
Wiringi is the son of Mongrel Mob Aotearoa president Joseph ‘‘Junior’’ Wiringi, and the brother of Mob member Fairlane Wiringi. The other injured man is a patched member of the Rebels Motorcycle Club.
All police in Canterbury have been told to carry firearms until those responsible for the shooting have been caught. It’s understood there are concerns among top brass that the incident might spark tit-for-tat violence. The two people who dropped the Rebels gang member at hospital are in police custody. Both of those people, one of whom is understood to be a Mongols MC gang member, were helping police with their inquiries, a spokeswoman said. Police cordoned off part of Whitefield and Aldersgate streets in Kaiapoi yesterday as they investigated the shooting.
A Whitefield St resident, who declined to be named, said she was ‘‘sound asleep’’ when she woke up to the sound of police dogs. Unbeknown to her, a man, understood to be Wiringi, was behind her car.
‘‘I put my head outside my bedroom window, and they (police) were screaming at me to come outside because at this point they had no idea what had happened –
they didn’t know whether there was someone in the house or not, and they were screaming at me to get out.’’
She went outside while police went into her home. ‘‘I had no idea what was going on, they were just all there standing with guns.’’
Police then told her someone had been shot.
Wiringi was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment in October after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis, failing to allow police to search his phone and breach of the Health Act.
On April 13, the 18th day of New Zealand’s level 4 lockdown, Wiringi was stopped by police in Christchurch at 10.56pm. He could offer no valid reason for leaving his home.
When police searched the vehicle, they found an illegally cut-down firearm under the front passenger seat. Police also found 3.3 grams of methamphetamine and 2.25g of cannabis.
Acting Canterbury district commander Detective Superintendent Tom Fitzgerald told Stuff an arming order for frontline staff was made yesterday.
‘‘The general arming order is due to the heightened risk to staff as a result of the shooting this morning and the ongoing inquiries into that. Until all those responsible are located, staff will be armed for the next 24 hours.’’
The double shooting follows a string of violent incidents in the Greater Christchurch area over the last week.
Four people were charged with the murder of a Christchurch man after a New Year’s Eve party at the South Island headquarters of the Mongols MC.
Police are also investigating the death of a man on England St in Linwood, Christchurch, on Sunday afternoon.
On December 29, a man was critically injured in Bishopdale. It is not clear if any of the incidents are linked.