Two men shot and killed knew each other

Police have confirmed two men who were found dead at a property near Tauranga were known to each other.

Detective Inspector Mark Loper said a homicide investigation into the death of two men at an Ormsby Ln, Omanawa house was continuing yesterday after police were called to reports of gunshots at a home about 7.40pm on Tuesday.

Police are yet to name the victims of the shooting, but understands they are Nick Littlewood, 32, and Paul Lasslett, 43. A manhunt for their killer or killers is ongoing.

Lasslett, a builder, owned the property where the shooting happened.

He is a father to a 21-year-old woman and became a grandfather several days before he was killed.

A woman who paid tribute to him online late Wednesday said she would miss his ‘‘smiling face and quick wit’’.

Court documents show Lasslett has previous convictions for drug related offending.

His family have declined to comment. Littlewood is linked to the Head Hunters gang. In 2011, he was wanted by police in Tauranga for failing to appear in court on drugs charges.

A woman who paid tribute to him online on Wednesday said ‘‘my faith in humanity is at an all time low’’. She thanked him for ‘‘making me laugh and rescuing me from all sorts of seedy situations’’.

‘‘Rest somewhere it’s more peaceful.’’

The men’s bodies were removed from the property last night and autopsies will take place today.

Loper said a scene examination was ongoing at the Ormsby Ln property with support from ESR and an Auckland specialist search group, and was expected to be completed today.

‘‘Additional investigations staff are being brought in from around the country to assist Bay of Plenty police. We are still working to understand the circumstances of the deaths and the involvement of any other parties.

‘‘While police have spoken to a number of people in relation to the incident, we believe there may be others who are yet to talk to us.’’

Police Minister Stuart Nash said on Wednesday Tauranga residents could expect to see officers openly carrying guns – Bushmaster rifles and Glock pistols – in coming days.

Loper urged anyone with information, or who witnessed any of the circumstances surrounding the incident, to get in touch with Bay of Plenty Police on 105 and quote the file number

200211/5109. Information could also be given anonymously through Crimestoppers on

0800 555 111.

‘Gangland style behaviour’

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller said a number of people who had come out of Australia in the ‘‘501’’ deportation had strong gang connections to gangs Tauranga had never seen before, which was leading to an increase in turf warfare that was ‘‘violent and murderous’’.

‘‘The city has not seen the likes of this before.’’

Muller said it was obvious police needed extra resources to be able to tackle the gang issue.

‘‘It’s a massive issue and police need more powers to be able to deal with it.’’

The violence in the area was escalating and Muller had called a meeting to discuss concerns residents may have.

‘‘It’s the actions of these guys and their gangland style behaviour that’s making Tauranga feel unsafe. It’s unacceptable gang violence.’’

A public meeting would be held on March 25 at Golden Sands School to discuss Papamoa crime and policing. Local police and neighbourhood support would be in attendance.

New Zealand’s death count

So far in 2020, at least nine people have died in suspicious or homicidal circumstances in NZ.

At the same time last year there had been 10 suspected homicides. Last year’s toll closed at 128, according to provisional data compiled by an ongoing investigation into why New Zealanders kill.

That number includes the 51 people killed in the March Christchurch terror attack. The 2018 toll was 77, the worst since

2009 when 94 people were killed. On average there are 70 homicides in NZ each year. shows that at least 1135 people – 305 women, 630 men and 200 young people – have been killed in NZ since January 1, 2004. (That figure includes police shootings, hunting accidents, and car crashes where someone is prosecuted for murder or manslaughter).

NZ’s homicide rate of 1.6 per 100,000 people is well below the OECD average of

3.6 per 100,000.