McDonald’s serving again after shooting
Diners are back at an Upper Hutt McDonald’s after a shooting drama there.
The restaurant reopened on Thursday morning with no sign of gunshot damage. The store’s owner said staff were traumatised by the incident, which ended when Upper Hutt man Pera Smiler, 25, was shot dead by police on Tuesday afternoon.
Witnesses said Smiler shot a bullet into the restaurant’s ceiling before telling terrified customers and staff to leave.
He wandered outside and was shot.
Smiler was due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court on Thursday on driving and fraud charges, including a prosecution by the Ministry of Social Development over a $3000 payment to settle in Christchurch for fulltime work.
The ministry laid the charge in July 2014, alleging Smiler dishonestly used a ‘‘$3K to Christchurch’’ incentive payment form. A warrant to arrest him was issued on June 2 this year.
According to the Work and Income website, the grant is intended for those choosing to resettle in Christchurch to help with the earthquake rebuild.
Smiler’s cousin, Dylan Marc Tayler Smiler, wrote on Facebook that his cousin had simply had enough.
‘‘He wanted to die but he didn’t wanna kill any one. He was just down and out, rock bottom.’’
It emerged that the final message sent to friends and family by Smiler was one of ‘‘peace’’ an hour before he fired his first shot.