AOS and construction workers on the roof of the Deloitte building in Downtown Auckland as a shooting incident is responded to on July 20.
AOS and construction workers on the roof of the Deloitte building in Downtown Auckland as a shooting incident is responded to on July 20.
Ngati Whātua Ōrākei will bless the One Queen Street site on Thursday morning and the public will be asked to observe a minute’s silence at 7am to remember the men who lost their lives in last week’s shooting tragedy.
Thursday marks one week from when gunman Matu Reid, 24, enteredthe One Queen Street site armed with a shotgun and killed his two work colleagues Solomona To’oto’o, 45, of Manurewa and Tupuga Sipiliano, 44, of Wattle Downs.
Reid, 24, in a shoot-out with armed police, took his own life.
Ngāti Whātu Ōrākei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair said the 6.45am karakia would allow all spirits and events of that day to settle.
“As tangata whenua we are both obligated and humbled to be able to provide spiritual and cultural support as kaitiaki to those in need, because of this devastating event.
“Traditional ancient karakia will ring out with the aim of clearing the space of any lingering negativity.
“Karakia we know can help lift burdens and weight from those carrying it. This is something we do regularly with our community in our CBD whether opening, closing or clearing spaces spiritually when those that occupy them feel it’s required.”
The minute’s silence is for those who cannot attend the dawn blessing but want to show their support for the whānau of all those who were killed on that tragic Auckland morning.
“The minute silence is for those unable to be there in person to participate in some small way should they wish.”
Police are still trying to piece together what triggered Reid’s deadly rampage against his two workmates.
Last week an eye witness told the Herald Reid seemed to know what he was doing and who he was looking for.
He recounted the five minutes of madness that unfolded at One Queen Street in the Deloitte tower just after 7.15am and the chilling words Reid was yelled during his deadly rampage.
“I can remember him yelling ‘So what you going to do to me now ... what can you do’,” the worker, who had only been working at that construction site for less than a month, told the Herald.
The man, who the Herald has agreed not to identify, arrived on site at 7am - his normal time - and made his way to the third level, where a number of subcontractors gather each morning to plan their day’s work schedules as well as meet for breaks.
He and a colleague were inside a room when they heard gunshots. The worker said he heard the gunman fire two shots - which he believes killed one man - reloaded and chased after another.
They hid from Reid who opened the door to where they were hiding, scanned the room and then left.
The worker said he feels lucky to have escaped alive.
Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for 12 years for Te Whānau o Waipareira.
