Officers weep as they tell of deadly Napier shooting

Senior Constable Grant Diver (right), with Senior Sergeant Fred van Duuren yesterday, is only just back at work. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The coroner yesterday had to ask one of the police officers injured during the Napier siege if he wanted someone else to read his statement as he started crying while giving evidence.

Senior Constable Grant Diver and Senior Constable Bruce Miller, speaking publicly for the first time, both shed tears in the Napier District Court as they remembered the moments before their colleague Len Snee was fatally shot.

Mr Diver, who returned to work only this month because of his injuries, told how he tried to reason with Molenaar in the moments before he started shooting at them.

"I told him, 'We are carrying out a search warrant. It doesn't have to be any worse than that ...' His words were, 'Well it's too late for that and I want you all to get out of here."'

Mr Diver then wept and had to pause as he described how "without warning" Molenaar opened fire.

Coroner David Crerar asked the police officer to take a drink of water before he continued.

"I remember as this happened, I tried to run but was shot through the arm and groin," Mr Diver said.

"I started crawling up the hill, endeavouring to find some sort of cover. I tried to get up again but my legs were not functioning.

"I looked back and saw Senior Constable Miller crawling up the hill behind me."

Detective Superintendent Rod Drew told how Mr Diver had crawled into the driveway of 45 Chaucer Rd and was let into the house by the occupant, Sharon Hotton.

He collapsed on her couch and called the Napier police station on his mobile phone.

Mr Miller had managed to seek refuge in the driveway at No 47. He used his radio to call the police communications centre requesting immediate assistance.

Christine Jackman and Donald Fraser, who live in nearby Guys Hill Rd, both stopped their cars at Chaucer Rd after hearing gunshots.

They saw Mr Miller lying in a driveway and drove down to him.

They phoned police and Molenaar fired three shots, narrowly missing them.

Sharon Hotton came out and told them Mr Diver was inside. Mr Miller yelled at her to take cover.

Four armed police officers arrived soon after, with two of them diving on Mr Miller to prevent any shots striking him.

One of the officers hopped in Ms Jackman's car and evacuated Mr Miller and the two civilians.

Two armed offenders squad members escorted a paramedic to the house Mr Diver was in and the trio, with another police officer, carried him on a stretcher up the hill.

Mr Diver was shot in the right forearm and in his right hip. That bullet struck his pelvis and stopped next to his femur.

He had four operations.

Mr Miller, who returned to work in February, was shot in the left side of the lower back, damaging his spleen, bowel and three ribs.

He underwent four operations, including having his spleen removed. He spent 18 days in hospital, seven in a coma.