Armed offenders squad members will not
be charged over the death of a young courier driver caught in the
crossfire during a police pursuit in January.
Officers were chasing Stephen Hohepa McDonald, 50, along the
Auckland's North Western motorway on January 23 when 17-year-old
Halatau Naitoko was accidentally shot by an armed offenders squad
member.
Auckland City district police commander Superintendent George
Fraser told Mr Naitoko's family yesterday that no-one would be
charged over his death.
The decision had been made at the end of a lengthy and thorough
homicide investigation, he said.
"The recommendations of the homicide investigation team were
made in conjunction with advice from the police senior legal advisor
and which were peer reviewed by independent senior legal counsel
John Haigh QC."
The reasons for the decision have not been released.
The ruling comes as McDonald appears in Auckland District Court
again today to face six charges, mostly firearms offences.
In total, he has been charged with 35 offences related to events
leading up to and including the fatal motorway shooting.
The officers involved were told of the decision by their lawyers
yesterday. They have all returned to work since the incident.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation was
continuing and the inquest into Mr Naitoko's death was still to
come.
Aspects of the police investigation into the pursuit had yet to
be completed, Mr Fraser said.
NZPA