Fatal police shooting: Jerrim Toms threatened service station staff before death

A man shot dead by police as he advanced on officers with a machete on a major highway north of Auckland had allegedly threatened to kill staff at a service station shortly before the fatal confrontation.

Jerrim Toms, 29, died in the early hours of the morning of March 31 on State Highway 1 near Puhoi after he was shot multiple times by police.

Officers fired at Toms after he allegedly approached police with a machete.

He had earlier approached an officer with the same weapon before fleeing at high speed in his car, turning his headlights off at times.

The Herald later reported Toms had methamphetamine in his system at the time, and an amount of the drug was found in his possession.

It can now be revealed that shortly before his death, Toms had driven to an Auckland petrol station.

A source said he threatened to kill staff at the service station.

He was also behaving erratically.

Staff called police.

Officers were aware of that alleged incident when Toms was located on SH1.

Police could not comment on the case as inquiries were ongoing.

The fatal shooting was captured live on multiple cameras - including the police Eagle helicopter and other CCTV cameras around the scene.

The footage is part of evidence being reviewed by police, the Coroner and the Independent Police Conduct Authority in three separate investigations into Toms' death.

The day after Toms died police release basic information about the chain of events that led to the shooting.

They said officers were called to Toms' Onehunga address just after 3am.

A woman at the house reported that Toms was acting erratically.

She left the property, fearing for her safety.

Police arrived at 3.10am but Toms was not there.

Less than half an hour later, a police officer on his way home from work saw a car - later
identified as Toms' - pulled over with its hazard lights on SH1.

Toms sped off when the police officer approached, and then stopped again.

The officer also stopped and Toms got out and approached the driver's side of the patrol car.

Police said he had a machete and was threatening the officer.

The officer drove away from Toms and called for backup.

Toms then got back into his car and started driving south towards Puhoi.

More police, including the Eagle helicopter, were called to help.

By then, Toms was travelling at up to 150km/h and turned off his lights at times.

His car was stopped only after police put down road spikes at Pohuehue about 3.50am.

As officers got out of their car to speak to Toms, he advanced on them, again armed with
a machete.

Police shot at Toms and he was struck and killed.

Officers tried first aid and called an ambulance, but Toms died at the scene.

In October the Herald published details of the woman who admitted supplying Toms with methamphetamine.

Epsom woman Susan Elizabeth Bool met with the 29-year-old the day before he died to
give him meth after the pair had exchanged a number of text messages to set up the deal.

Bool, 61, admitted two charges of supplying and possessing methamphetamine and was sentenced in the Auckland District Court.

The charges came after police linked her to Toms during an investigation into his death.