Commander quizzed on why police shots missed

A high-ranking police officer was yesterday closely questioned at an inquest about why four close-range shots by armed offenders squad (AOS) officers aimed at a gunman missed, one instead killing a bystander.

Police national tactics group commander Bruce Dunstan said there was no formal AOS debrief into the events which led to the death of 17-year-old courier driver Halatau Naitoko on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway on January 23 last year.

But he told the inquest at Auckland Coroners' Court into Mr Naitoko's death that if there were any concerns from other police investigations into why four shots fired at gunman Stephen Hohepa McDonald missed, he would have expected to be told.

McDonald had been on a crime rampage, stealing cars, driving recklessly and shooting at the police helicopter and police pursuing him.

After he was stopped at a roadblock on the westbound side of the motorway, he got out of the car and ran into the citybound side, waving his weapon as he tried to get into atruck.

Three AOS officers pursued him. Two aimed a total of four shots at him, and one of the shots fatally struck Mr Naitoko.

Mr Dunstan said there had been no formal AOS debrief into the incident as they tended not to be held if there was a shooting where someone was injured and court proceedings might happen.

When questioned by Chris Morris, counsel assisting Coroner Gordon Matenga, Mr Dunstan said there was no formal document explaining why the shots, from about 4.81m, missed McDonald.

When Mr Dunstan said he did not have enough information to answer how well the marksmen had performed, Mr Matenga asked him to confirm he was commanding officer of the unit.

When Mr Dunstan did so, Mr Matenga asked, "If the buckdoesn't stop with you, where does it stop?"

Mr Dunstan replied: "I don't deny I have responsibility. I just say that concerns have not been brought to me about performance of those officers. I would expect whoever's leading investigations to bring those to me."

Mr Dunstan said that from what he knew the scene was quickly changing and it was not easy to say what led to the shots missing McDonald.

Mr Matenga reserved his findings.

- NZPA