Specialist police teams were yesterday working through the carnage left after the shootout in the Ruatoki Valley.
Up to six carloads of members from the Black Power and Mongrel Mob gangs are thought to have been involved in the confrontation on Tuesday afternoon.
In Reid Road, running between Taneatua and Ruatoki, three vehicles were left behind, including the car of innocent witness Gary Maxwell.
Police said black tyre marks on the road showed where he desperately tried to escape the shooting.
In one car the rear right window was gone, shattered by bullets. A baby seat was ruined where a bullet tore through the fabric as a young Black Power member held it up to protect himself from gunfire.
Farther up and on the other side of the road, the shell of a burned-out car offered few clues about its occupants.
Inside the last car, a red Ford Falcon with expensive mag wheels, a woollen beanie was stuck on the front passenger seat head-rest and the vehicle was littered with evidence of the previous day's violent events.
Part of a rifle poked out from under the seat, next to a packet of cigarette papers and a big wad of chewed-up gum. There was a carved wooden taiaha and a few music CDs, but no stereo.
Police Inspector Jim Mansell yesterday urged gang members to "calm down" and said "all gang members will have to learn to live in this area amicably".
Mr Mansell said more than one shotgun was used in the battle. He did not know of other weapons.
There was "always tension between gangs" and he did not know what triggered the shootings.
However, it seemed likely that much of the tension was caused by the acquittal of five Black Power associates for the alleged murder of Te Rangianiwaniwa Tait Pouwhare-Carroll, 20, during a street brawl in May last year.
It happened after a string of gang problems stretching back at least 12 years.
Taneatua, 14km south of Whakatane, once had food processing and dairy factories, saleyards, a rail station and a big hotel.
But the work dried up and the town became a small and relatively poor community of 750 people, mostly Maori.
From 1991 to 1993, three locals were killed in gang fights. The first, Kunere Kohunui, was bashed to death on a marae and the last, Claude Takao, was shot in the face at a rugby game on Anzac Day.
The latter part of the 1990s was marked by relative peace. The town's only policeman in 2001, Constable Andrew Biddle, said at the time that hot-headed gang members were growing up.
It was said by one visitor to be "as close to a frontier town as you would find in New Zealand".
Locals tried to lure tourists to reverse Taneatua's fortunes, but on May 25 last year there was the big brawl in Whakatane during which Pouwhare-Carroll was stabbed and killed.
Five Black Power members were accused of murder, but found to be not guilty nine days ago.
Although police laid fresh charges of intentional wounding, it apparently did little to placate Mongrel Mob members.
Mr Mansell said 40 staff were investigating the gun battle and had set a roadblock in Ruatoki Valley.
He warned of strict policing during "coming days".
* Police said yesterday that three Black Power members found in the shed had been arrested and charged with being unlawfully on premises.
Initially five men were apprehended but two were released.
Whakatane police Sergeant Neil Peterson said there were no plans to lay further charges against the trio at this stage. However, this could change when investigations were completed.
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