Kaoss Price police shooting: Investigation centres on witnesses and vehicles

Assistant Police Commissioner Sandra Venables on the New Plymouth shooting. Video / NZ Herald

Police are today examining several vehicles and questioning witnesses regarding the fatal police shooting of Kaoss Price in Taranaki over the weekend.

The 22-year-old from Bell Block was reportedly following an associate in a vehicle travelling on State Highway 3 between New Plymouth and Waitara about 9.30pm on Saturday night.

Price's associate was pulled over by police in a vehicle stop on Devon Rd.

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Assistant Police Commissioner Sandra Venables told reporters yesterday Price drove past his associate before he turned around and rammed into a stationary police car.

Police have not yet released details of what happened next, apart from confirming Price was then shot and killed by police.

Kaoss Price, 22, reportedly rammed a police car before he was shot and killed. Photo / Supplied

In a statement released today, Venables said the investigation team assigned to the incident would undertake a "methodical and meticulous inquiry" to understand the series of events that led to Price's death.

"Police are committed to ensuring that all facts are gathered and confirmed prior to public release in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation," she said.

People who witnessed the incident, along with several vehicles, would be the focus of the investigation today.

A post mortem was also expected to be completed today.

Assistant Police Commissioner Sandra Venables. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Venables gave little new information, instead explaining how police officers applied force and her commitment to a thorough investigation.

"When an officer chooses to use force in defence of the public or themselves, their decision must be based on their assessment of the threat, the exposure to harm, the necessity to act, and the best response considering all those factors and the relevant law.

"Mr Price's whānau and the community rightly expect a thorough and objective understanding of events, and police are working tirelessly to achieve that."

She expected to release further information later this week.

It comes after a woman who claimed to have spoken with Price the morning before he died said the young man referenced his past mistakes and his will to change.

Karen, who did not supply a last name, told Newstalk ZB yesterday Price had talked about his life and upbringing.

"He was telling us about, you know, the mistakes there had been in life and he said he loved us when he left and that he wants to make changes.

"At the end of the day, he's a son, a brother, a grandson."

The mistakes he may have been referencing had been laid out during a successful High Court appeal of his sentence in November last year of two years, six months in prison on charges including burglary, police chases, failing to stop, escaping custody and theft.

Police had been conducting an examination of the scene where Kaoss Price died for several days. Photo / Supplied

Justice Christine Grice found Price's sentence was "manifestly excessive" and should have included a discount for his youth.

His final sentence was 23 months in prison, making him eligible for home detention.

Price's offending spanned about a year from November 2020 to October 2021 - earning him the title of a "one-man crime wave", as noted in the High Court decision.

After refusing to stop for police on November 5, 2020, Price drove towards oncoming traffic and almost hit schoolchildren when he approached a pedestrian crossing, forcing police to abandon their pursuit.

Later that day, Price crashed into two vehicles, one of which had young children inside. Inside his car, 2.5 grams of methamphetamine was found along with a knuckle duster.

The following month, Price was bailed to his grandmother's home where he stole almost $3000 worth of items, including a ring, phone and tinderbox, before driving off in her car while she slept, despite being suspended from driving.

Between May and July 2021, Price committed fuel theft on eight separate occasions.

When Price was found by police on May 28, he broke free as he was being handcuffed by an officer before running away.

On at least four occasions, Price escaped police while driving. There were two instances of Price being pulled over by officers before speeding off.

On another occasion, Price ignored requests to stop by police and drove through several stop signs, reaching 100 kilometres per hour in a 50km/h zone, narrowly missing a parked police vehicle.

On July 8 last year, Price entered a man's home while he slept before taking his keys and driving away in his car.