Auckland gang warfare - city sees 109 reported gun crimes in a single month

Open gang warfare and brazen shootings in Auckland saw recorded gun crimes spike during a single month in the Super City with an average of more than three per day.

There were 109 gun crimes in May, figures supplied by police under the Official Information Act show, but the number of firearms offences in the city has recently dropped off again.

The reduction is thanks in part to an uneasy truce prevailing between two formerly allied gangs, who locked horns in an explosion of public conflict that contributed to the downfall a police minister.

In the year to June 26, Auckland's three police districts together recorded 368 firearms offences.

The incidents cover any offence where a gun was involved, such as shooting homicides, wounding with a firearm, threatening someone with a firearm or reckless discharges.

Until the end of April, Auckland saw an average of 54 offences involving a gun per month, with a high of 76 in March and a low of 37 in February.

Then about halfway through May, a member of the Killer Beez gang turned up to a rugby league practice in east Auckland to threaten a member of the Tribesmen Motorcycle Club with a firearm.

Killer Beez gang members pass through the checkpoint at Ramarama near where the gang was having their AGM. Police checkpoints were set up close to the Country Inn, Ramarama, where the bikers and vehicles carrying gang members were pulled over. Photo / Brett Phibbs

That threat was the ember that ignited simmering tensions between the two groups.

Tensions were already rising following social media taunts after some Killer Beez motorcycle riders were captured on camera falling off their bikes during their annual meeting.

The Killer Beez began about two decades ago as a youth feeder street gang for the Tribesmen in Ōtara but relations between the groups soured as the Killer Beez gained power and influence.

They have not recovered since the shooting of Killer Beez president Josh Masters by his former friend, Tribesmen sergeant-at-arms Okusitino Tae, in 2019.

There have been several public flare-ups in tensions characterised by shootings and beatings in the ensuing years, including in Ōtara late in 2020 and in Kaikohe this year.

During the depths of this year's conflict in Auckland, several houses a night were being targeted in tit-for-tat drive-by shootings.

There were at least 23 reported drive-bys but it is believed several others went unreported.

Houses with no gang links were also mistakenly targeted.

On June 1, Abinesh Kumar was eating dinner with his flatmates when bullets flew through his front windows.

Kumar is a construction worker who, like his flatmates, had no organised crime links, but the home was formerly occupied by gang prospects, neighbours said.

His flatmate was grazed by a bullet, narrowly escaping serious injury.

"Luckily I was sitting on the floor," he said.

About a month after the rugby league practice threat, the Killer Beez and Tribesmen agreed to a ceasefire.

A member of the Tribesmen motorcycle gang do burnouts before they race at Meremere Dragway on April 16, 2022. The race day was organised by the Greazy Dogs. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Herald understands an uneasy truce continues to hold. In the month to June 26, Auckland recorded a relatively modest 44 gun crimes.

News of the truce and the ensuing reduction in public gun violence came too late for embattled former police minister Poto Williams.

She was replaced by Chris Hipkins on June 13 as part of a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who said she had lost focus in the portfolio.

As bullets repeatedly tore through the cladding of Auckland houses, Williams came under a barrage of ever-increasing criticism by National Party police spokesman Mark Mitchell.

Last week, the new Police Minister Chris Hipkins and Justice Minister Kiri Allan unveiled a series of changes billed as a bid to crack down on gang violence.

The changes include a new targeted warrant and more search powers to seize weapons from gang members during a gang conflict.

"Recent brazen gang activities have been totally unacceptable and our communities deserve better," Hipkins said.

"Police asked for legislative changes that will give them more tools to crack down on violent offending and other criminal activities. We have listened, and will introduce a package of changes that target this activity as an omnibus Amendment Bill as soon as possible."

Also among the changes are adding watches and boats to a list of high-value goods prohibited for sale for cash over a certain value.

There are two pieces of legislation dealing with gangs and organised crime under consideration by Parliament.

The first is the potential introduction of Firearms Prohibition Orders, which if imposed on a specific individual, give police further powers to confiscate illegal firearms.

But the bill put forward by Labour does not include warrantless search powers, like in Australia.

The second bill is a proposed strengthening of the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act.

Across its three police districts, Auckland has a relatively low rate of legal firearms ownership, with 31,430 licences compared to 32,741 in the much more sparsely populated Southern District (Otago and Southland) and 35,550 in Canterbury.

This year, at least 85 firearms have been reported stolen in 41 separate thefts, the latest police data shows.

Police believe many firearms offences committed by gangs use stolen or unlawfully obtained guns. Since 2005, 11,536 firearms have been reported stolen in 4833 separate thefts.

The year with the most firearms-related violence offences in police records was 2021, with 1335, including 11 murders, three attempted murders, 202 robberies, 252 grievous assaults, 17 serious assaults, 21 minor assaults and 829 instances of intimidation and threats.

The next highest year was 2005, with 1150.