By Rachel Tiffen
There's grief, anger and disbelief on the Kapiti Coast as the Paraparaumu community comes to grips with the killing of two young men in a month.
But today was about paying tribute to the 20-year-old taken early yesterday, Sean Strongman-Lintern.
Outside Whakarongotai Marae, friends of the man nicknamed "Black Sean" came together to welcome him home. Today's focus was on how the 20-year-old lived, not how he died.
“I tell you what, he was the life of the party,” says friend Anthony Lees. “It's shit.”
Matt Kerr had known him since kindergarten.
“Sean was a good guy,” says Mr Kerr. “He was funny, cheeky.”
From all accounts "cheeky" was an understatement.
“He should have been New Zealand’s next top comedian because you can't win an argument with him,” says Mr Lees.
Mr Strongman-Lintern loved his footy, both touch and rugby league.
“He didn't have a step he had a dance,” says Mr Kerr.
He and 17-year-old Izak Millanta, who died in a brawl in the same Paraparaumu carpark just more than a month ago, played league for the same club.
“Never thought he'd be the next one,” says Mr Lees.
Friends of Sean Strongman-Lintern say he was sticking up for a mate when trouble broke out early yesterday and that night was the first time he'd ever met the man due in court tomorrow, charged with his murder.
They say all the anger and fighting has got to stop, or be stopped by police.
“How hard is it to have one policeman stationed on Monteith’s Bar for the night just to keep it safe?” asks Mr Kerr.
“There needs to be a strong community in Kapiti Coast because everyone's fighting against each other and not sticking up for their true mates,” says friend Dane Houghton.
Now that Sean Strongman-Lintern is home, friends want justice and for his death to be the last.
3 News