Gunman issued licence despite concerns

Shayne Sime was shot dead after a two-hour standoff with police. Photo / NZPA

A Christchurch gunman was issued a gun licence - despite a referee's concerns - just two years before he turned his guns on police, wounding an officer and a neighbour.

A report from the Independent Police Complaints Authority released today found that Shayne Sime's own referee raised "some concerns" with police when he was interviewed before issuing Sime with a gun licence in 2007.

Sime was shot by police last year after he riddled a neighbour's house and car with shotgun pellets and taunted police to shoot him.

Click here for the IPCA findings

The IPCA also found that Sime left important information off his licence application about a debilitating head injury which he got in a bar fight and later put him in a wheelchair.

It noted that one of Sime's own referees "raised doubt" about his suitability and recommended his mother be interviewed but that this did not happen."

"Mr Sime also failed his first two attempts to pass the Firearms Safety Test. There was sufficient concern for an Arms Officer to prepare a draft report recommending that the application file be referred to the Area Commander for final approval.

"However, after discussion with another Arms Officer, this action was considered unnecessary and the licence was then issued to Mr Sime in December 2006," the authority found.

The report said that "more diligent inquiries into his medical condition and background" should have been done and the decision to grant a license should have been made by a senior officer.

In her recommendations to police, IPCA chairwoman Justice Lowell Goddard said that training and guidelines to police issuing firearms licenses should be reviewed to make sure they know when firearms licenses should be issued.

She also recommends an independent and random audit of firearms license application to make sure guidelines are followed.

Police Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls said police were already carrying out random audits of firearm licenses.

Police firearms licensing was called into question earlier this year at the coroner's inquest into the shooting of Napier police officer Len Snee and Molenaar. During the inquest, it was found that police did not check up on Molenaar's guns after he surrendered his firearms license.

The report into the shooting of Sime, issued today at 1pm, found that he had been angry with a neighbour that he believed was a "nark" after police were called to his home four months before the shooting.

A neighbour had called police after hearing gunshots. When police went to Sime's home the next day, Sime told them he had been shooting at a cardboard box with an air pistol.

The IPCA found that Sime spoke to the officers through a bedroom window while a shotgun lay on his bed.

"[W]hen the damaged target was located they appear to have accepted this explanation and left. They did not examine his licence or weapons and inspect his arms safe," the report said.

"There were also recorded incidents in which he had emerged from his house and either presented a weapon or threatened people with a firearm. These incidents were not reported to Police at the time, however, and were accordingly not investigated," the IPCA found.

Sime mistakenly thought he knew which neighbour had called police and four months later was drinking with a neighbour on the street when the conversation turned to guns.

Sime referred to Napier gunman Jan Molenaar and said: "If the Police come here I am going to shoot the bastards. I am going out like that dude up north. I'm sick of life. That guy had some mean toys."

The neighbours left and Sime began shooting at the neighbour's home he believed had called police back in February.

An ESR report found Sime fired 98 shotgun cartridges in the next two hours from the front and back of his property. He also had a .308 rifle which he fired 12 times.

Armed Offender Squad (AOS) members were called to the scene while Sime was holed up in his house, at times shooting at police and texting his family.

At 8.46pm - 45 minutes into the shooting - Sime texted his mother: "Luv u mum Souround by cops. Wasted house nex door". Minutes later he followed that up with "Prob get shot".

Police were contacted by Sime's mother and managed to make cell phone contact with him. A police officer tried to talk him out but Sime did not want to live.

Part of a conversation with police went: Sime: I'm not. I'm not. Do you think I'm going to go to f***ing jail in a wheelchair?

Police: Well, why don't you come out then and we'll sort it all out before it gets any worse then?

Sime: Oh yeah. I'll be carrying a gun though.

Police: No, no, no. Don't be carrying a gun. If you come out in your wheelchair without any firearms mate, this can all finish then and no-one can get hurt and we can all go about our normal lives.

Sime: Oh yeah. F***ing sure.

Police: No, no.

Sime: Oh and nothing's going to happen because I've f***ing wasted, fuck I'll blow, I've spent, I've put fucking heaps of rounds in my neighbour's house.

Police: Yeah, well look hey look there's obviously going to have to be, you're going to have to answer to that sort of thing but at the, but the big thing ...

Sime: Yeah.

Police: Yeah, but the big thing is, is no-one's been hurt. And that's the big thing mate.

Sime: Oh f***. Well that's a f***ing shame then.

Police: Well no, no, it's a good thing. And the good thing ...

Sime: No, it's a f***ing bad thing.

Police Well, why would you want to hurt anyone?

Sime Because, f***ing enjoyment.

AOS members tried to use tear gas to debilitate Sime but after being shot at, they returned fire and Sime was pronounced dead at 10.39pm - two hours and 38 minutes after the first shots were reported.

The IPCA found that police were justified in arming themselves and shooting Sime.

"This reflects very well on those officers involved in dealing with a very dangerous incident involving the indiscriminate use of high-powered firearms," Mr Nicholls said.

"It was incredibly fortunate, given the number of shots fired, that no one, other than the offender, was seriously hurt or killed. This operation was appropriately managed and brought a dangerous situation to a conclusion in the diffusing of a dangerous, armed incident," he said.