Gangster admits firing gun at rival outside hospital

A Black Power member has admitted to shooting at a gang rival outside Wellington Hospital during an incident last week that sent the hospital into lockdown.

Yesterday, Shoshonee Rayne-Bou Nirvana Pullan-Whakarau appeared in the New Plymouth District Court via audio-visual link from prison custody.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of discharging a firearm to intimidate.

According to the summary of facts, Pullan-Whakarau was at a motel on Riddiford St, Wellington, around 5.10pm on May 1. The 22-year-old from Taranaki was in Wellington visiting a family member who was a patient in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Also staying at the motel was another family who had a family member in hospital.

A patched Mongrel Mob member was visiting this family when an altercation broke out between him and Pullan-Whakarau, and their associates.

The Mongrel Mob member and his associate armed themselves with knives and exchanged words with Pullan-Whakarau and his associates.

The Mongrel Mob member and his associate left the motel and drove to the hospital where they parked near the front entrance.

Meanwhile, Pullan-Whakarau grabbed a shotgun from his room at the motel and, together with his associates, drove to the hospital.

In the carpark of the emergency department, Pullan-Whakarau drove the wrong way through the “pick up and drop off” lane in front of the hospital and then stopped a short distance from the Mongrel Mob member’s vehicle.

Pullan-Whakarau got out of the car and began shouting in his rival’s direction, with the loaded shotgun by his side. He returned to his car and drove closer to the rival before getting out and approaching the vehicle.

Pullan-Whakarau stopped about 5m from the man’s car and raised the firearm, pointing it towards where he was seated.

Pullan-Whakarau fired one shot into the driver’s door. The Mongrel Mob member was uninjured but the panel of the door was punctured.

Pullan-Whakarau and his associates drove off.

The incident sparked a large police response and caused the hospital to go into lockdown.

In court, defence lawyer Nathan Bourke said at the time Pullan-Whakarau’s young cousin had been involved in a car crash and emotions were running high.

Judge Gregory Hikaka recorded the guilty plea and remanded Pullan-Whakarau back into custody ahead of sentencing on August 30.

A 21-year-old Gisborne man was also arrested in relation to the incident and charged with possession of an offensive weapon.