Source: Radio New Zealand
Police at the scene of the shooting incident. RNZ/Mark Papalii
Police were called to a Waitārere Beach address hours before arriving a second time to find a man dead and three others with gunshot wounds in the early hours of this morning.
The survivors – a 46-year-old woman and two males aged 17 and 21 – remain critically wounded in Wellington Hospital.
A 60-year-old man that RNZ understands to be Benjamin Harry Timmins was found dead – while a young girl at the scene is being cared for by family.
Police are not looking for anyone else.
On Facebook, Timmins’ sister said he was her rock, her friend, her protector “and above all, my brother”.
“I will miss him.” she said.
She said it was with the “heaviest of broken hearts” that she was sharing that he was dead.
“The last of the good old boys,” she wrote.
“Loved friend, father, and brother. Trickster, funny fella, all round solid gold.”
She added that there would be a private cremation.
A 111 call was made shortly after midnight, but Inspector Ross Grantham said a first call was made by the woman at about 7pm.
He said police took action then, but could not say what that was or what the call was for.
Grantham said officers were at the property within eight minutes of the second call.
“The quick response by police likely saved the three victims’ lives. Our officers were confronted with a harrowing scene that no one should have to witness.”
The body of the dead man is still at the scene and will be removed tomorrow.
Inspector Grantham said a scene examination will continue for the next few days.
“Locals can expect to see a police presence in the area for the time being.
“I would like to commend everyone who was involved in this harrowing ordeal, from those who called emergency services, as well as first responders at the scene.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
