Police say guns last resort, after man killed
Police say firearms ‘‘will always be a last resort’’ after a 29-year-old man was shot dead by officers near Auckland’s Pohuehue on Saturday.
The man, from east Auckland, had threatened the officers with a machete before they opened fire, police Superintendent Tusha Penny said. He died at the scene and could not be revived.
Following the incident, questions were raised as to why the officers had not used Tasers against the man.
A police spokeswoman said yesterday that officers routinely carried Tasers but may use firearms when offenders pose a ‘‘serious’’ threat.
‘‘Firearms will always be a last resort but police policy allows firearms to be used as a tactical option when offenders carry firearms or present a serious threat to public safety,’’ the spokeswoman said.
‘‘The reality is that police work in a dynamic and, at times, high-risk environment that sometimes requires them to use firearms to keep themselves and the public safe.’’
About 7500 frontline police staff throughout New Zealand are trained to carry Tasers.
Officers have access to a Glock and an M4 in the boot of their cars and can strap them on at their own discretion.
Experts in the United States say Tasers don’t reduce the number of shootings because of the so-called ‘‘weapons effect’’ – the presence of lethal and non-lethal weapons makes both sides more aggressive.
‘‘In New Zealand, the data shows police shootings have increased since Tasers were first introduced,’’ criminologist Trevor Bradley, a senior lecturer at Victoria University, said.
The police spokeswoman said the man’s name could not yet be released, because his family was still being notified.
His death has been referred to the coroner.
Police will carry out two investigations into the incident: one criminal, and one focused on police shooting policies and procedures.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority will also investigate.
The man is the 17th person fatally shot by police in the past decade, and the ninth in the past three years.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said Police Commissioner Mike Bush had briefed him on the incident on Saturday.
‘‘Until we know the full circumstances of the event, I will refrain from further comment,’’ he said.
Police Association vice-president Marcia Murray also said she was not prepared to comment on the incident. ‘‘We just need to wait until it’s fully investigated and see what the outcome of that is.’’
Lead-up to shots fired
The incident unfolded about 3.10am on Saturday after a woman in Onehunga phoned the police to report a man, who she knew, acting erratically. Officers went to the address, but the man had since left.
Shortly afterward, a rural police officer noticed a car parked at the side of the road with its hazard lights on near Topuni on the Hibiscus Coast. The officer pulled in behind the car, but it quickly drove off, before stopping again.
The driver then got out of his vehicle and came around to the driver’s door of the police car, ‘‘wielding a machete and threatening the officer’’, Penny said.
The man got back in his car and headed south on State Highway 1 towards Puhoi, driving at speeds of up to 150kmh, at times with the car’s lights off, she said.
It was spiked near Mahurangi West Rd about 3.50am.
‘‘The first officers got out of their patrol car and the driver from the other car came towards them with a machete,’’ Penny said. ‘‘It is at this point that police fired shots.’’
About 30 kilometres of SH1 was cordoned off for 12 hours while police investigated, causing huge traffic backlogs for holidaymakers heading out of Auckland for Easter.
Penny said the incident was a ‘‘tragedy’’ and her thoughts were with the man’s family and friends, as well as the officers involved.
‘‘Our staff have to make splitsecond decisions, in situations where there is risk to their lives and members of the public.
‘‘No police officer comes to work wanting to end up in a situation like this.’’