Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ/Mark Papalii
Family and friends of a man who died in a shooting in Waitārere Beach gathered outside the property today.
A man, identified by his sister as 60-year-old Benjamin Harry Timmins, was found dead and three others with gunshot wounds following the shooting on Wednesday in the lower North Island township.
A 46-year-old woman and two males aged 17 and 21 remain critically wounded in Wellington Hospital.
A young girl who was at the scene of the shooting on Wednesday is being cared for by family.
60-year-old Benjamin Harry Timmins. Supplied
Police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the shooting.
There were hugs and tears from those gathered outside the property today, which is still cordoned off by police.
They huddled under umbrellas, and there was karakia.
Speaking to RNZ afterwards, Timmins’ sister Rachel O’Grady said she did not believe he could have hurt anyone.
“He was the calm one in the family.”
She said he always said “‘there’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a cup of tea’”.
RNZ/Mark Papalii
O’Grady said the family had been under intense pressure in the last year, and she had feared it was coming to a crisis.
“But nothing like this.”
The body of Timmins was due to be removed from the property today and taken to the mortuary in Palmerston North ahead of a post-mortem on Friday.
This morning, RNZ reported police seized a dismantled a gun, parts and ammunition from the property a few hours before returning after a 111 call to find Timmins dead and three others with gunshot wounds.
The person who had contacted police did not speak, and officers believe the call had been made by the child.
Meanwhile, police also confirmed they responded to a family harm-related incident at the property last Friday.
Rachel O’Grady and Benjamin Timmins. Facebook / Rach O’Grady
Timmins was arrested and charged with two counts of assault on a person in a family relationship and had been scheduled to appear in court on 14 January – the day of the fatal shooting.
In 1996, Timmins was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm, and then convicted again in 2019, on three charges of cultivation of cannabis, unlawful possession of ammunition and theft.
An appeal in 2024 was partly successful, with the conviction for unlawful possession of ammunition set aside.
Manawatū area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said the scene examination could extend into the weekend.
“We will continue to guard the scene and the public within the community can expect to see a more heavy police presence there than they normally would,” he said.
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Family Violence
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
