Child hurt as shots fired after tangi

By HAMISH RUTHERFORD in Opotiki and MIKE MATHER in Rotorua
A grieving mother is in shock after a violent confrontation at her home which saw shots fired and left a five-year-old injured.

The incident, involving at least 15 people including gang members, erupted at Rose Williams' Opotiki home on Saturday, a day after she buried her 30-year-old son Brendan Kelly Williams, who died in Australia on Christmas Eve.

A number of shots were fired from a .22 semi-automatic rifle and other weapons were also involved, police said.

The Daily Post was unable to confirm if Saturday's violent incident in Opotiki was gang-related or merely involved gang members but gang tensions have been on the rise in the Eastern Bay of Plenty in recent months.

Mrs Williams said some of those arrested had been staying at her house and the rest were from a group of people who arrived at her house. It is understood they were Black Power members or associates.

When Mrs Williams returned from a friend's unveiling at the Opape Marae on Saturday, she found her fence had been smashed down after three car loads of armed men allegedly arrived looking to "deal to" someone staying there.

Police said at least fifteen people including gang members were involved in the confrontation on Payne Ave near Opotiki College at about 10.30am on Saturday. The incident left a 33-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his hand and a 22-year-old man with a gash to his head.

A five-year-old child also suffered cuts to his arm from an incident earlier in the day when a bottle was thrown at a car. All three were treated for their injuries and discharged.

A 22-year-old Opotiki man was arrested and charged with wounding with intent to injure and unlawfully carrying a firearm. He was due to appear in the Whakatane District Court today.

A 17-year-old Auckland man was charged with assault with a weapon and will appear in the Opotiki District Court tomorrow. Six Opotiki men have also been charged with unlawful assembly and will also appear in the Opotiki District Court tomorrow.

Whakatane Detective Jon McKenzie said more arrests were likely.

Mrs Williams, still in shock over her son's death and travelling to Australia to retrieve his body, said the latest incident had made her life "a living hell" and she was disgusted with the actions of those involved.

"These people came to the house of a grieving family armed and looking for someone."

Several children were in the house when the incident occurred and the man the unwelcome group had been looking for did not live there, she said.

"They knew we were grieving and they were waiting for some of the family to leave before they turned up. What kind of people do that?"

Her son's car had been sitting behind part of the damaged fence at her house.

"It's like they drove over his body."

Members of her husband's family from Auckland who had been staying at the house for her son's tangi were told by police to leave Opotiki "before sundown" to prevent more incidents, she said.

The family remained on edge yesterday, doubting Saturday's arrests would see the end of the situation.

"It never ends," said Mrs Williams.

Mrs Williams said she did not know if anyone who was staying at her house was a gang member but believed so.

Neighbours spoken to said Payne Ave was a quiet street and they could not remember any gang problems there previously.

Eastern Bay of Plenty police have been holding meetings with community leaders to try to defuse the rising gang tensions in the region, particularly in Whakatane, after several incidents involving young members of the rival Black Power and Mongrel Mob baiting each other.

Flare-ups between the gangs in recent months in the Ruatoki Valley and Whakatane prompted police to increase patrols recently.

Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins of the Whakatane police said at the time groups were driving past each other's houses wearing regalia, making gang signs and taunting their rivals. Those involved were mostly associates, often teenagers, spurred on by middle order gang members, he said.

It did not appear any particular event had sparked the recent tension.

"Black Power and the Mongrel Mob just can't live in the same town as each other."