Update on Police shooting in Rodney

Early this morning, police were called to an address in Onehunga after a member of the public reported that a man known to her had been acting erratically and she had left the address as she feared for her safety. 
 
Police were dispatched to the address at around 3.10am, however there were no people or vehicles at the address when we arrived.
 
Around 20 minutes later a rural Police officer was heading home after his shift when he noticed a car parked on State Highway 1 near Topuni with its hazard lights on. The officer pulled in behind the car to see if the driver needed assistance, however the car quickly drove off. 
 
The police car followed and the car then stopped again. The officer was about to get out of his vehicle when the driver of the car got out and came around to the driver’s door of the police car, wielding a machete and threatening the officer. 
 
The officer quickly retreated and called for backup and watched the offender from a safe distance, however the offender then got back into his car and headed south on SH1 towards Puhoi. 
 
Additional police resource was called in, including our Eagle helicopter, which was able to monitor the situation from above. It is believed the offending car was driving at speeds of up to 150km an hour, at times with its lights off. 
 
The car was successfully spiked on SH1 near Mahurangi West Road at around 3.50am.
 
The first officers got out of their patrol car and the driver from the other car came towards them with a machete. It is at this point that Police fired shots. 
 
The officers immediately administered first aid and called for an ambulance, however the man died at the scene from his injuries. 
 
The man is a 29-year-old from East Auckland, however we will not be releasing his name until formal identification has taken place and next of kin have been notified. 
 
Waitemata District Commander Superintendent Tusha Penny says this is a tragic outcome and our sympathies are with the deceased man’s family. 
 
“We have ensured that Victim Support is available to them and we will support them through this process.”
 
“We are also ensuring that the staff involved are being supported. No Police officer comes to work wanting to end up in a situation like this. Their welfare is paramount and we have steps in place to make sure they are looked after,” says Superintendent Penny.
 
“Every day Police staff deal with situations that are complex, dynamic and fast changing. Our staff have to make split second decisions, in situations where there is risk to their lives and members of the public,” says Superintendent Penny. 
 
As is standard practice, Police have launched two investigations into the shooting and we have also notified the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA). The matter has also been referred to the Coroner. 
 
The scene examination is still under way and we thank the public for their patience in this matter. We expect the scene examination to be completed by approximately 3pm and the road reopened. 
 
In the interim, SH1 remains closed between Orewa and Warkworth and diversions are in place via State Highway 16. 
ENDS
 
Shelley Nahr/NZ Police