NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Napier shooting: Latest updates

Herald online
9 May, 2009 04:22 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Left: Armed Offenders Squad members come off duty this morning, and (right) gunman Jan Molenaar. Photos / Richard Robinson / Supplied

Left: Armed Offenders Squad members come off duty this morning, and (right) gunman Jan Molenaar. Photos / Richard Robinson / Supplied

Are you in the area?
Tell us what you saw, send us your photos and video.

16.22pm: Police have named the neighbour who was wounded when going to the aid of officers involved in the initial tangle with gunman Jan Molenaar on Thursday morning.

He is Leonard Holmwood, 44, of Napier.

Police have said Mr Holmwood was shot when trying to disarm Molenaar as he fired
at officers at his property on Chaucer Rd, Napier Hill. Senior Constable Len Snee was killed and two other officers critically injured.

2.55pm: Police went into the house and found Molenaar's dead body barricaded in a room at the back of the house. The say the house it still rigged with explosives.

2.00pm: Police are currently holding a press conference on the end of the siege.

1.34pm: Police say the room where Jan Molenaar was found was one of several which had been difficult for police to view or access.

Superintendent Sam Hoyle said police were not able to immediately say how Molenaar died, but the house was still considered to be dangerous and needed to be cleared by specialist staff.

12.35pm: Molenaar has been found dead in his bedroom, say police. The siege is now over.

12.18pm: A resident with a direct view of Jan Molenaar's house says a tank-like army vehicle is in the driveway with its nose pointed into the driveway, just 12 to 15 feet away from Molenaar's front window.

"There's no way they could be doing this without getting fired upon," Wayne Rollinson said.

"It's over."

12.01pm: There have been fresh explosions at the scene of the Napier siege in the past few minutes.

Herald reporters at the scene say two explosions, about three minutes apart, just shook the street.

11.28am: Police are concerned Molenaar's house may be booby-trapped.

There have been suggestions that Molenaar may have used his military experience to booby-trap his house and police have been cautious about entering.

Police Superintendent Sam Hoyle said specialist equipment capable of detecting explosives was being rounded up and would be used to examine the house before entry.

11.13am: A Herald journalist at the scene, Steven Orsbourn, says several AOS members with gas masks are making their way up to the Molenaar house.

11.06am: Police say Jan Molenaar's status is "unknown" and that the last contact with him was "some hours ago". Police are continuing to treat Molenaar as "alive and dangerous".

10.27am: An eye witness who lives on the Napier hills near Jan Molenaar has told nzherald.co.nz: "This morning [I saw] the police throwing what would appear to be tear gas through a bedroom window."

The eyewitness says he can see the Molenaar house "quite well" with a pair of binoculars. The eye witness says this incident happened around 9.15am.

10.00am: Police communications manager Kaye Calder, responding to questions about the reports that the gunman is dead, would only say: "The man has not been shot at by police.

"Police attention remained on the house this morning at this time."

9.31am: Police are trying to organise a press conference for 10am today on the events overnight at the Napier siege.

Sources have told nzherald.co.nz that Molenaar is dead inside the house at Chaucer Rd, although police are not confirming anything at the moment.

9.07am: Civil Defence says rumours of a lack of beds for people evacuated from the area around Chaucer Rd are untrue.

Last night, 95 adults and 16 children, including families, were accommodated in Napier hotels and motels, according to Napier Civil Defence.

Rumours of a lack of beds and people sleeping in the Welfare Centre at Napier Intermediate School were untrue, Civil Defence controller Dennis Morgan said.

8.40am: A witness says they have seen police in Jan Molenaar's house within the past 15 minutes, a Herald journalist reports.

8.35am: A Radio New Zealand reporter has provided a breakdown of the blasts from overnight at the Molenaar property.

Radio NZ is reporting that the first blast occurred around 3.15am this morning. A second occurred just before 6am.

"An armoured personnel carrier went to the site about 4am and returned an hour later, while an ambulance and police vehicles also went towards the property," says Radio New Zealand.

8.12am: A Herald journalist at the scene, Steven Orsbourn, says there has been a change of shift of the Armed Offenders Squad. He says the atmosphere amongst the police is noticeably less tense than at other times during the stand-off.

8.05am: The Weekend Herald understood officers were planning to approach the house at first light today.

They would not move at night because of fears - based on what a friend of gunman Jan Molenaar told them - that the house could be booby trapped.

Arthur Hyde told the Weekend Herald police should not even consider going inside yet as Molenaar was more than capable of wiring the house with explosives.

7.30am: A loud explosion and gunshots were reported early this morning from the cordon surrounding the Napier Hill dwelling where a gunman is holed up.

As the siege enters its third day, Freelance photographer Kerry Marshall, standing on the edge of the cordoned area, told NZPA a loud explosion rocked the quiet suburban area about 3.30am.

"We heard one loud explosion and it also seemed as if there were gunshots as well," Marshall said.

He added a four-wheel drive vehicle came out of the cordon lines about the same time, driven by what looked like an Armed Offenders Squad member.

Newstalk ZB radio suggested the blast was caused by explosives set by a robot normally used to destroy bombs.

The station's report indicated the blast at a garage door attached to Molenaar's house might have been used in an effort to gain entry.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Opinion
|Updated

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

New Zealand

Public Trust spreading a message of good will

Watch
New Zealand

Two dead after crashes in Palmerston North and Dunedin


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today
Opinion
|Updated

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

Want to have your say on our stories? Here's how.

14 Jul 10:10 PM
Public Trust spreading a message of good will
New Zealand

Public Trust spreading a message of good will

Watch
14 Jul 09:53 PM
Two dead after crashes in Palmerston North and Dunedin
New Zealand

Two dead after crashes in Palmerston North and Dunedin

14 Jul 09:44 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP