Shot pair found on ‘dumping ground’

Hunt on for two men after man dies and woman badly hurt in Mangere

The Mangere road where a man was found dead and a woman was seriously injured yesterday morning is a “dumping ground” frequented by boy racers, and where some of the city’s homeless go to sleep.

A 28-year-old man was dead when police arrived shortly after 6am. A woman lying next to him had been shot and was seriously hurt.

Police said it did not appear to be a random shooting and were searching for two men believed to be involved.

Fly Park manager Robert Prendergast said he saw two cars parked on Greenwood Rd when he left work about 9pm on Monday.

He said it was pouring with rain and he noticed three people outside their cars arguing. He said: “I thought ‘What are these idiots doing outside in the rain?’

He also saw a parked van near the Watercare wastewater treatment plant.

He thought no more of it because five or six cars were often parked on the road with people sleeping in them.

“It is normally pretty quiet down there, no street lights or houses,” Prendergast said.

The 1.3km stretch is surprisingly rural for an area 20 minutes from the CBD, traffic permitting. On the one side is the giant treatment plant, with areas of restored native plants and tracks often used by people to walk their dogs.

On the other side are paddocks, sections of native bush and vast stretches of cleared land, waiting to be developed. Beyond that are several fields growing crops, and behind them scattered houses.

Chris Olsen, who owns Kiwi Shuttles opposite Greenwood Rd on Ascot Rd, said he awoke to police helicopters circling overhead.

People often dumped rubbish along the long stretch of road, he said. “Cars are always coming down there in the middle of the night.

“It is dark, quiet and nobody would see you. Now two bodies have been dumped. It’s pretty sad, but it was going to happen sooner or later.”

About a year ago a body had been left on the corner outside his business, he said.

Cars had been racing down the road at the time, and he suspected the person had been beaten up and left there.

Two construction workers,

It is dark, quiet and nobody would see you. Now two bodies have been dumped. Chris Olsen, businessman

who grew up down the road in Ihumatao, also said boy racers flocked to the road at night.

“The parties there can get pretty out of control,” one said.

Fly Park employee Sarah Davis said she saw a helicopter circling and police cars on Greenwood Rd between 3.30am and 4am. “I was working when it all happened.”

Detective Inspector Faa Va’aelua said police did not believe it was a random shooting, and sought two Tongan men believed to be involved.

The injured woman was taken to Auckland City Hospital. Va’aelua said police had been talking to her to try to find out what happened.