Police Commissioner Howard Broad is returning to New Zealand after visiting New Zealand Police staff deployed to Bougainville.
The Commissioner said he heard the news of Friday's shooting when he was in an area of difficult communications in Arawa.
Mr Broad said he is in transit back to New Zealand and is expected to arrive in Auckland early tomorrow night.
He hopes to visit the family of Halatau Naitoko soon after his return.
"This has been an absolute tragedy and I have the utmost sympathy for the family of Mr Naitoko. My thoughts are also with all my staff including those involved in the AOS response and the investigators who are now busy conducting the homicide investigation.
"From the briefing I have received, matters are proceeding as they ought with appropriate investigations by the relevant authorities and support is being provided to the victims and police staff, " said Mr Broad.
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