The sister of Benjamin Timmins and other family members hold a karakia at the property before his body is driven away. Video / Mike Scott
The ex-employer of the man who died during a shooting in a Waitārere Beach home claims he was a troubled person.
The Herald understands the man who died was 60-year-old Benjamin Timmins, while the injured were a woman, 46, and two young men, aged 17 and 21.
Policebelieve a child, the fifth unharmed person found at the property, raised the alarm.
The former employer of Timmins said those drawing links between him and his period in the Territorial Force were placing too much emphasis on a part-time connection with the military.
Timmins’ sister Rachael O’Grady, earlier told the Herald her brother was a former soldier who had since turned to farming.
O’Grady said he was known as a “staunch peacekeeping man” who had previously spent time in Iraq.
“He was commended for rescuing hostages,” she said.
‘Troubled lad from the start’
The 60-year-old’s former employer told the Herald the public needed to know “he was a troubled lad from the start, and it had nothing to do with the military or the army”.
The former employer said he hired Timmins as a labourer to work on a roading project in the Wellington region and employed him for about a year.
He said Timmins became upset and angry when the work ended and expected to be kept on in what was always a temporary job.
The former employer said he looked into Timmins’ background after he threatened legal action and discovered former employers had faced similar threats.
He said it was a pattern of behaviour.
Police at the property on Waitārere Beach Rd after the shooting. Photo / Mike Scott
A military veteran who spoke yesterday with those who worked the private military contracting field in the 2000s – known as “The Circuit” – offered a similar message.
The veteran questioned Timmins’ military credentials, because any time he had spent engaged with the Territorials involved short stints and was decades ago.
He said Timmins was known to have worked in Afghanistan for Compass Military for a short period, where his lack of military experience – and other issues – made him a concern to those he worked with.
From there, he was believed to have gone to Dynacorp in Iraq, again for a short period, where his lack of military experience was again exposed and caused concern.
He said Timmins was employed early in the “War on Terror” when private military contracting companies “were taking anyone”.
According to Stuff, Timmins worked in the Middle East between 2009 and 2011.
The veteran was concerned about conflating Timmins’ military experience with those who had issues that stemmed from their service.
The sister of Benjamin Timmins, Rachel O'Grady, and other family members, hold a karakia at the property. Photo / Mike Scott
Another veteran spoken to by the Herald said Timmins’ engagement with the Territorials would have been decades ago, based on his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm in the mid-1990s.
A NZDF spokesperson confirmed a person by the name of Benjamin Timmins served in the NZ Army Territorial Force, 5th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, from 1987-95.
The spokesperson said he then resigned from service.
“This was the volunteer, part-time reserve component of the Army. He did not deploy overseas with the New Zealand Defence Force,” the spokesperson said.
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