A man at the centre of a police pursuit which led to the death of an innocent motorist in Auckland on Friday will appear today in court.
The man has been in police custody and yesterday underwent an operation in hospital to have shrapnel removed from his chest and back after being wounded by police.
He initially faces charges including failing to stop for police and using a firearm against police following the incident, in which 17-year-old Halatau Naitoko was killed when a stray bullet fired from a police rifle struck him in the chest.
The incident was allegedly sparked by a handbag snatch in west Auckland.
The alleged gunman, a 50-year-old who was known to police, fled along the Northwestern Motorway in a stolen car which came to a stop after hitting a median barrier.
Shots were exchanged between the man and police as he allegedly tried to hijack a vehicle which was caught up in the action.
Police yesterday admitted the bullet which killed Mr Naitoko came from one of two M4 rifles fired by police at the scene of the drama.
It was the first time an innocent person has been shot dead by police and investigations are underway into the chain of events which led to it.
There was a mixed response by Mr Naitoko's family to his death over the weekend, with his fiancee and father expressing anger and frustration at police.
Mr Naitoko's body was returned to the family yesterday and his mother, Ivoni Fuimaono, was more forgiving of police but said she still wanted answers.
"I would like to meet the person who fired the shot that killed my son," she told reporters outside her home. "I really want to see him - what he looks like - and get to know what happened."
Senior police paid a visit to the home yesterday to offer support to the family.
A second man caught up in the drama, Richard Neville, was also injured by shrapnel from the shooting and as he recovered yesterday he said he was in no doubt police had saved his life.
He said the gunman had at one stage stood in front of his small truck and pointed a sawn-off rifle at him.
Prime Minister John Key yesterday described the fatal shooting as a "tragedy on all fronts".
He extended his sympathies to both the police officer involved as well as to Mr Naitoko's family.
"He's a young father and it's such an enormous tragedy that their son has been taken away from them at such an early stage in his life," he told Radio New Zealand.
The Police Association has also extended sympathy to Mr Naitoko's family, but said it stood by the officers involved.
"They had no choice but to respond to the very serious threat posed by the rampaging armed offender," president Greg O'Connor said.
"The outcome is tragic for all concerned but these are sometimes the harsh realities of policing. It is sad reality that dangerous and violent criminals put the lives of others at risk every day."
Former police inspector Ross Meurant says the armed offenders squad member who fired the shot that killed teenage courier driver Halatau Naitoko should be tried before a court.
Mr Meurant, a former MP, told Newstalk ZB he was particularly concerned about what he called the police public relations campaign which jumped into action in the aftermath of the tragedy.
He claimed the Police Association moved into overdrive to protect police at the expense of upholding the law.
On Saturday association president Greg O'Connor said Mr Naitoko's killing was a tragedy, but police were given very little choice about their actions.
"That Mr Naitoko was hit by a police bullet is a doubly cruel blow not only for his family, but also for police. The Police Association is unequivocally supporting the police officers involved, who were forced to act and do the best job they could when faced with a very difficult situation."
Mr Meurant said police could only shoot to kill when they feared death or grievous injury to themselves or someone else and when there was no other way to prevent it.
He questions the decision-making process that led to Mr Naitoko's death.
NZPA