Multiple police cars and an ambulance have responded to an incident in Manukau, Auckland.
A gang member once involved in a horrific kidnapping of a suspected “nark” has been shot dead outside a church in South Auckland this morning in a targeted attack.
The Herald can reveal notorious Mongrel Mob member Daniel Eliu was shot dead on the grounds of the Seventh Day AdventistChurch on Puhinui Road, Manukau around 10am this morning.
Eliu has an extensive criminal past and also had links to the Head Hunters.
A large number of gang members have been gathering at the scene of the shooting throughout the day.
Eliu was sentenced to 11 years in prison for wounding to cause grievous bodily harm for a 2006 offense.
Eliu had held down a man who had “narked” on an associate of his who then attacked the victim with a Stanley knife. The victim in the attack had his face slashed from his jaw to hairline. According to the 2008 Court of Appeal judgment text, Eliu’s victim was “was terrified and badly hurt, as you had intended; and he was bleeding profusely from his injuries”.
It is understood Eliu was today attending a sharing session run by the Grace Foundation at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Grace Foundation a charity which seeks to empower and assist marginalised members of the community. It was founded by former Mongrel Mob president David Letele and his wife Tui - parents of retired boxer Dave Letele, also known as the Brown Buttabean
Police officers were in attendance at a church on Puhinui Road, Manukau, after they received reports at 10 am that one person had been shot. The shooting occurred on the grounds of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
About 4.30pm today, NZ Police released a statement confirming the gunman has not yet been apprehended.
“This appears be an isolated incident, as the victim was deliberately targeted,” Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Va’aelua said.
“The first officers on the scene administered urgent first aid but sadly the person died. Police are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the offender, and the people who were present at the church are assisting Police with enquiries.”
Va’aelua said police are also collecting CCTV footage from the church and it is “proving to be very helpful”.
Over two dozen police cars, dog handlers and armed offenders squad responded to the incident this morning.
Manukau resident Baljinder Singh was on Puhinui Rd when he saw over 25 police cars rush to Papatoetoe Seventh-day Adventist Community Church on Puhinui Rd just before 11 am.
A cluster of agitated people including several patched Mongrel Mob members were gathering at the entrance to the church as of 1pm today.
There are up to about a dozen people in the group, and the atmosphere was described as tense by a witness at the scene.
Police are at Papatoetoe Seventh Day Adventist Community Church where a person has been shot dead. Photo / Dean Purcell
A cluster of aggravated people including several patched Mongrel Mob members are gathering at the entrance to the church. Photo / NZ Herald
Lead pastor and president of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Eddie Tupa’i, said they were cotinuing to co-operate with police requests over the shooting.
Tupa’i said there were several community groups who were gathering today at the church, and the shooting happened outside the building.
“I don’t know the person who lost their life,” Tupa’i said.
“The Papatoetoe Seventh-day Adventist Church is deeply saddened to have a person pass away in tragic circumstances on the church property today. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the deceased in this most difficult time.”
Residents on the nearby Edorvale Ave said police cordoned off their street earlier this morning. When residents went to have a look at what was happening, a police officer told them to go back inside.
One resident said he had heard the chopper and went out on the street to see what was going on.
He said at around 10.15am his wife was caught on the other side of the cordon and had to walk through neighbours’ backyards to get home.
The church service is understood to have gone ahead and a member of the church told the congregation police had caught the man responsible.
“As most of you will know, we’ve had an incident happen here this morning and I have been talking to the authorities about that and they are really keen for us to continue this morning,” a woman told RNZ.
A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said they were notified of an incident in Manukau at 10 am and responded with two ambulances, one manager and two rapid response vehicles.
“We were not required for transportation.”
Edorvale Ave residents said police cordoned off their street earlier this morning. When they went to have a look at what was happening, a police officer told them to go back inside.
One resident said he had heard the chopper and went out on the street to see what was going on.
