Detective Inspector Peter Devoy. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Police are calling for a motorist to contact them over the police shooting of Auckland courier driver Halatau Naitoko on Friday.
Mr Naitoko, 17, was accidentally killed in his van on Friday by police shooting at Stephen Hohepa McDonald, an unemployed 50-year-old who had allegedly shot at officers
during an hour-long chase.
It is alleged that McDonald was standing on the back of a flat-deck truck with a sawn-off .22 rifle pointed in the cab window at Auckland blacksmith Richard Neville, 40.
Three officers fired five shots at McDonald as Mr Neville slammed on his brakes, hurling McDonald forward. Mr Naitoko was in the line of fire.
Detective Inspector Peter Devoy urged witnesses to call police on 093026567.
He said police would particularly like to speak to the driver of a vehicle on the outside lane of the Northwestern Motorway that may have driven past the truck McDonald was trying to break into about 2pm.
"The driver of the truck has advised that, at the time McDonald was threatening him, a vehicle went past on the outside lane, heading towards the city. We'd like whoever was in that to contact us as they could provide some valuable witness information to the inquiry," Mr Devoy said.
He said McDonald had travelled for several kilometres before going onto the Northwestern and it was important that police spoke to as many witnesses as possible.
Investigators will also speak to more than 50 police staff involved in the incident and Armed Offenders Squad members will be interviewed today, police said.
Forensic experts are also examining five vehicles, including the Air Support Unit's Eagle helicopter.
- NZHERALD STAFF
