Fatal shot defended by police

Police are backing the actions of an officer who shot and killed a man in Porirua as he approached in a threatening manner with a machete in hand.

The 44-year-old man was shot once in the shoulder about 12.30am yesterday and died in an ambulance on his way to Wellington Hospital.

Acting Wellington district commander, Superintendent Steve Kehoe said the male officer fired the fatal shot at Mana Esplanade. The officer was now receiving support.

The incident began in Waikanae, 35km north of Porirua, about 90 minutes before the shooting when police responded to a domestic callout.

Before officers arrived, the man left that scene by car, heading south, Kehoe said.

Once the man was spotted by police, he approached the patrol car with a machete in hand and threatened an officer, before being shot.

The shooting, which was witnessed by another officer, took place next to the Mana Community Police Station and in a seafront service lane that runs parallel to Mana Esplanade.

Kehoe said using a firearm was always treated as a ‘‘last resort’’ by officers.

‘‘This was a dynamic, confronting and dangerous situation. The information I have is that the staff acted professionally, appropriately and in accordance with policy. On that basis, they have my 100 per cent backing.’’

When asked why a Taser was not used, Kehoe said that question would form part of multiple inquiries, including one by the Independent Police Conduct Authority. Officers had recovered a machete and an air rifle in the man’s vehicle.

Neighbours at a nearby apartment block were unable to leave home through their front doors yesterday morning, as police carried out a scene examination in the busy entertainment and business area.

Maddy Honiss was at the nearby beach with friends when she heard sirens. She spoke to police at the scene, one of whom told her ‘‘only the bad guy got hurt’’.

Honiss said the incident had been scary and she wondered whether police needed to take such extreme action.

Neighbour Bronnie Lyne said she was woken by sirens from the emergency vehicles. She looked outside and saw paramedics taking the man away in an ambulance.

Lyne believed he was still alive at the time.