Fononga was later shot and killed by AOS officers when he climbed out of his automobile on the Henderson Police Station and refused to drop his weapon.
In a choice launched right this moment, the Impartial Police Conduct Authority has discovered that officers have been justified in capturing Fononga to defend themselves and others, in what have been terribly troublesome circumstances.
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At about 10.30am on March 17 final 12 months, Fononga drove to the Gull Service Station on Forrest Hill Rd whereas Armourguard employees have been replenishing an ATM machine.
He fired a shotgun into the ceiling and stole a cannister of money then drove off.
About 25 minutes later, whereas police have been on the scene, Fononga returned and offered his shotgun at them earlier than driving off once more.
Within the 18 minutes that adopted, Fononga drove across the Henderson space discharging his shotgun at police who have been responding to the incident.
He shot at police at six totally different places. The primary was on Pine Ave, the place he shot at a shifting police patrol because it handed him at a roundabout. He then shot at one other shifting police patrol at a roundabout at Bruce McLaren Drive.
Each police patrols have been sprayed with shotgun pellets however the officers weren’t injured.
In Seymour Ave a patrol automobile pulled over for the officer to put street spikes. When the 2 officers noticed Fononga approaching they took cowl behind a parked civilian car.
Fononga pulled up beside the police automobile and fired a shotgun blast by way of the driving force’s window earlier than driving off once more.
As he approached the intersection of Awaroa Rd and Nice North Rd he pulled up alongside a stationary patrol automobile and discharged his shotgun twice by way of the driving force’s window whereas an officer was within the driver’s seat.
The officer managed to lean ahead to dodge the blast and was not injured.
As Fononga drove alongside Nice North Rd, he handed a police patrol that had stopped to take cowl on the facet of the street.
Fononga fired on the patrol automobile however not one of the officers have been injured. Two officers returned fireplace, hitting Fononga’s automobile.
When he stopped on the intersection of Nice North Rd and View Rd, he pointed his shotgun at officers who had taken cowl in a driveway throughout the street.
Police fired at Fononga which went by way of the home windows of his automobile however didn’t hit him.
He then drove to the Henderson Police Station, adopted by a number of police patrols, drove into the carpark, and obtained out of his car nonetheless holding the shotgun.
He was challenged to drop his weapon earlier than being shot by three AOS officers.
First help was administered instantly, nevertheless, Fononga died from his accidents.
Within the IPCA determination, all officers who fired at Fonogna have been discovered to have been justified of their actions that day, together with the three who shot him on the police station.
“We’re happy on the proof that each one three officers fired for the aim of defending themselves and different officers, each inside and outside the station.
“All three officers knew Mr Fononga had proven an intention to shoot Cops. He was nonetheless armed and would have been capable of fireplace once more earlier than an officer had time to react. There have been no different tactical choices fairly obtainable.”
‘An especially scary day’
Relieving Waitematā District Commander Inspector Stefan Sagar mentioned law enforcement officials acted shortly and professionally in extraordinary circumstances to make sure the protection of themselves and the broader neighborhood.
“This was an especially scary day for all police employees in Waitematā and for the neighborhood as this occasion unfolded.
“It highlights the harmful and unpredictable atmosphere that our officers work in.”
He acknowledged the officers concerned on this incident, a lot of whom had a firearm both pointed or shot at them.
“Regardless of this, they nonetheless acted professionally and shortly with neighborhood security their precedence,” Sagar mentioned.
He mentioned police have been extremely relieved that no member of the general public or police have been harm throughout this incident, and acknowledged Fononga’s household who regardless of his actions on that day misplaced a liked member of the family.
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was beforehand RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has coated common information, together with court docket and native authorities for the Nelson Mail.
