”It seems to be a case of mistaken place, mistaken time,” Firkin mentioned.
”It was only a surprising, surprising act.”
“I do wish to level out Mike, that authorities carry on insisting that these types of issues don’t occur in locations like Newport Seaside.”
Sergeant Steve Oberon mentioned in a media replace this morning that witnesses reported two males, one armed with a handgun, who tried to rob McKay and one other particular person whereas exterior Style Island mall in Newport Seaside.
“Through the course of the theft, one sufferer was struck by a white sedan that was pushed by a 3rd suspect.
“McKay tragically died on the scene.”
Police mentioned the suspects opened hearth as they drove away, main officers on a cross-county pursuit that reached speeds of almost 180km/h earlier than their arrests.
After exiting a freeway, two extra males jumped out of the automobile and began working round a close-by South Gate neighbourhood.
Officers situated and arrested three suspects, together with one discovered hiding behind trash cans in South Gate.
Oberon mentioned all three have been arrested and should face murder expenses.
“I’m livid,” Mayor Will O’Neill advised native media. “I’m horrified. I’m mourning the lack of somebody who died within our metropolis due to crime … It is a tragedy and I’m livid.
“These are thugs and each group is now coping with this.
“We’ve to do higher as a society as a result of we can not tolerate this.
“This doesn’t occur in Newport Seaside,” he advised KCAL-9 Information.
The Ministry of International Affairs and Commerce advised the Herald: “We’re conscious of the studies of the demise of a New Zealander in California. Consular officers are in search of additional info”.
The Newport Seaside Fireplace Division mentioned first responders discovered the girl useless in a automobile park simply exterior of the purchasing centre.
Witnesses described seeing a useless physique and a crowd panicked by gunshots.
Photos on social media present paramedics performing CPR on an individual on the scene.
“Once I walked up, it was only a useless physique laying on the bottom,” shopper Rachel West advised CBS Information.
“Hastily 20-30 folks got here working across the nook screaming, ‘There’s gunshots, there’s gunshots’, and you possibly can inform by the look on their face this wasn’t a drill,” witness Case Burnett mentioned.
A witness posted in regards to the dramatic incident on X.
“Somebody was simply shot someplace between the Starbucks and Complete Meals at Style Island mall right here in Newport Seaside, California. Three males in a Camry was making an attempt to rob a lady. A Samaritan got here to assist her they usually shot at him thrice. They didn’t hit him.”
Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking information. She has labored for the Herald since 2022.
