IPCA finds police were justified in shooting at construction worker Matu Reid in Queen St incident

Police officers were justified in shooting at Matu Reid after he entered a construction site on Queen St armed with a shotgun.

Reid shot and killed two colleagues and injured others in the shooting in central Auckland in July 2023.

After attempts to negotiate and shots fired in both directions, Reid was shot in the arm by police. He died at the scene from what were found to be self-inflicted injuries.

In a report released today, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) found police officers were justified in shooting Reid on the grounds of self-defence, because they feared for their lives and the lives of other officers present.

About 7.15am on July 20, 2023, Reid, who was working for a contractor at the construction site, entered the building and went to the third floor, where his colleagues were meeting.

He shot and killed two colleagues and injured others. He then entered an internal stairwell and made his way up the building.

When approaching the 17th floor, he shot and wounded another worker who was running away from him.

Auckland CBD gunman Matu Reid (inset) died of self-inflicted injuries after he shot and killed two colleagues and injured others in the 2023 incident. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Armed police, including members of the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) and Special Tactics Group (STG), responded after calls from the public reporting an active shooter on Queen St and that a person had been shot.

Records show that 373 construction workers were on site at the time.

They were told Reid was on the 19th floor. When they neared that level, an officer at the front called to Reid, telling him to surrender.

Reid appeared from higher up and shot at the officer.

Reid entered a partially completed lift shaft, and officers tried to negotiate his surrender.

About 8.05am, officers on level 18 started breaching the plywood doors, believing him to be in a lift shaft on the 19th floor.

When they breached the last door on the left, the officers unexpectedly encountered Reid, who fired two shots, hitting two officers and seriously wounding one of them.

Other officers immediately dragged the injured pair to safety.

Officers continued to order Reid to surrender. He raised his gun and fired one shot.

Officers fired back, with one round hitting Reid in the forearm.

He died at the scene from what were later established to be self-inflicted injuries.

The IPCA found police conducted a thorough investigation into the incident and agreed with its findings and outcome.

It acknowledged the “bravery and courageous actions of our frontline Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group that responded”.

Auckland City District Commander, acting Superintendent Sunny Patel, said in a statement that the “tragic events” were a day “still fresh in the memory of many of our police staff that responded that morning, as well as the wider Auckland community”.

Patel said the officer who was seriously wounded “is working through a lengthy recovery period nearly two years on”.

“Police would also like to acknowledge the families of Solomona Tootoo and Tupuga Sipiliano.

“These two men went to work and lost their lives in devastating circumstances.”

Hannah Bartlett is a Tauranga-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She previously covered court and local government for the Nelson Mail, and before that was a radio reporter at Newstalk ZB.