Alleged gunman’s identity revealed

The identity of a man who allegedly fired several shots at police officers on Tuesday evening before himself being shot has been revealed.

Tolu Ma’anaima, 33, was shot twice in the lower body by police in Christchurch just before 7.30pm after a pursuit ended in Eveleyn Couzins Ave, Richmond.

Ma’anaima allegedly crouched behind his car, which had hit road spikes and lost a tyre, and opened fire at officers with a shotgun. Police returned fire using Glock pistols and Bushmaster rifles.

Ma’anaima is also alleged to have fired shots at police cars from the same Holden in two separate incidents in the early hours of Saturday.

Ma’anaima remains in Christchurch Hospital. A condition update was not available yesterday.

A relative of the 33-year-old said the family had no comment to make regarding the shooting.

A friend of Ma’anaima posted on Facebook a link to a news article about the shooting wishing him a ‘‘speedy recovery’’ on Wednesday.

Police are searching for two other men thought to have been in a car with Ma’anaima late on Friday night. Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cottam said police knew there were three people in the car about two hours before Saturday’s incidents.

Five police officers in four cars were involved in Tuesday’s gun battle. One of the police cars was left riddled with ‘‘bullet holes’’.