Napier gunman had troubled past

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Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00a.m.

What do we know about the Napier gunman, 51-year-old Jan Molenaar?

He was adopted by the Molenaar family as a newborn and grew up in Hawke's Bay, the oldest of five brothers.

His first school was Nelson Park Primary, before going on to Napier Intermediate. Molenaar then finished his schooling at Colenso High School.

After that he worked on the railways as a bouncer and completed six years in the territorial army.

Molenaar has been with his partner Delwyn for about 10 years, and two of her children also lived with them. He also has a son from a previous relationship which ended badly. His son and former partner moved to Auckland.

Friends Campbell Live spoke to say he is a very generous man, but it was well-known he grew cannabis and had guns.

Several people claimed he has had run-ins with the Mongrel Mob and is paranoid about anyone breaking into his house, which is why he has apparently booby-trapped it.

Friends say Molenaar has had a difficult life, and was deeply affected when his brother Joe committed suicide in 2003.

Apart from police, only one person has been speaking to Molenaar today - his mate Tony Moore.

Mr Moore says when he phoned Molenaar, he said he had been shot twice by police yesterday. He also made a chilling reference to his brother Joe.

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Comments

11 May 2009 06:46p.m.

Rodney wrote:

Was about to agree but I dont think a bullet would ever travel that slow?

09 May 2009 10:58p.m.

Tony wrote:

Police say they only ever shot twice (on the Thursday). Apparently, not true. See the lower left of this video (Friday night) at exactly 3.00 min mark. The glow of a bullet trajectory is visible coming from the lower left towards the house of Jan Molenaar. This would presumably be a sniper. Not sure why the police would lie about this??? Perhaps this is the bullet that killed Jan Molenaar?

09 May 2009 04:42p.m.

Steve wrote:

This man is the poster boy for drug prohibition policy.