Early morning shooting ‘leaves baby with no father’
Arthur Brown was shot twice after three offenders approached him in Ma¯ngere early on Sunday, police say.
Counties Manukau CIB Detective Inspector Tofilau Faa Va’aelua said yesterday that police investigators were continuing to appeal for public assistance.
Faa Va’aelua called the shooting a “senseless act of violence that’s left a newborn baby without a father”.
Brown, 26, was fatally shot outside a group of shops on Vine St in Ma¯ngere just before 1am on Sunday.
“Police are supporting Mr Brown’s family but they are absolutely devastated”, Faa Va’aelua said. “If you have any information about what happened please contact the police.”
Faa Va’aelua said those responsible for the death need to “man up” for their actions.
Brown was shot between the neck and collarbone on his left side and another shot hit his right shoulder. Brown was linked to a street gang, Faa Va’aelua said, however police are not sure if a gang is linked to the incident.
Faa Va’aelua said there was always a concern with incidents of violence like this and they are not sure whether the incident was a random attack or not.
He said Brown had come to the attention of police in the past, however, that was in 2011.
He is survived by pregnant wife Atiliai Brown, who was due to give birth to their first child this week.
Arthur Brown’s cousin, Geoff Brown, said earlier this week that the child was “holding a lot of people together” while they mourned. “We have family in Australia, America and Samoa — and this has affected not just us but our churches and communities.”
Brown said Arthur and Atiliai had married in recent months and he’d never seen his cousin so happy.