Tauranga shooting 'targeted attack'

A close-up view of a bullet hole in a ranchslider window after a shot was fired into a house in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay. Photo / Alan Gibson

Police say it was "sheer luck'' that a child escaped being shot when a Tauranga man was injured last night.

Tauranga police said the 43-year-old was clearly part of a targeted attack when a gunman fired at him through a glass door at his Meander Drive home in Welcome Bay about 9pm.

But Detective Sergeant Greg Turner said what was of significant concern was that a number of pellets landed in and around the bed of a young child who normally lived at the address, but was away at the time.

"It is clear from speaking to the victim, examining the scene and talking to residents that this was a concerted effort to cause serious injury. He was considerably fortunate to come away with relatively minor injuries and it is only by sheer luck that a young child wasn't also hurt in the process.

The man was taken to Tauranga Hospital with shotgun pellets in his head, but his injuries were not considered to be life threatening.

Detective Senior Sergeant said locals had told police they did not want that sort of crime happening on their doorstep and they had cooperated well.

He said police were following a number of avenues which should help to determine the motive of the attack and to identify the offender.

Police want to speak to anyone who may have been in the southern end of Meander Drive or the surrounding alleys and streets between 8pm and 9pm yesterday.