An Auckland City Police Officer is lucky to be alive today after having been fired upon by a vehicle passenger at about 1am in the Central City during a routine stop.
The officer did not suffer any gunshot wounds but has burns to his forearm as a result of the close-range gunfire.
The vehicle the offender was in - a white Toyota Altezza - was driven from the Mayoral Drive shooting scene at speed by a woman and was recovered an hour later in View Rd, Mt Eden, by Police who had joined the search for it.
A Police Dog unit tracked the area but no offenders have been located as yet.
Auckland City CIB are working alongside the Armed Offender's Squad to try and locate Murray Toleafoa who's believed to be involved in the early morning attack on Police.
Members of the public are strongly warned not to approach the 30 year-old who is understood to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about him or his female associate, believed to be Nadia Ball, is urged to call Police immediately on 111.
Murray Toleafoa [see attached pic] is Samoan of solid build and is known to have gang connections.
The officer who was shot at is being supported by his colleagues and was attended to by Ambulance officers at the scene. Several Police were nearby at the time of the shooting which took place after the officer had completed a vehicle check and was in the process of retrieving the vehicle's keys from the female driver.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz
