Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo / NZME
Whakatāne Hospital treated 13 people for gunshot wounds over the past five years - and police say gang rivalries are to blame for much of the bloodshed.
Data provided by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board under the Official Information Act showed 38 people were hospitalised for gunshot injuries between 2016 and 2020.
While the majority were treated at Tauranga Hospital, 13 were cared for at Whakatāne Hospital.
Five of the shootings were non-accidental and eight were accidental, according to the DHB.
Across the Bay of Plenty DHB, one of the 38 people treated for injuries died. Specific information about the person's death could not be provided.
Asked about the DHB figures, a police spokesperson said officers were attending more incidents where firearms were present.
"A high number of the firearm-related incidents police attend are related to organised crime groups or associates of those gangs," they said.
"Police [are] not in a position to be able to comment on another organisation's data. However, what we can say is any report of a firearm-related incident is taken extremely seriously by police."
The spokesperson said police would continue to target the activities of organised-crime groups and the recovery of illegal firearms.
Police are interested in the ownership and use of firearms and were keen to hear from the public if they knew of someone unlawfully having access to one.
"You can report it online at 105.police.govt.nz, call Police on 105, or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111," the spokesperson said.
Elsewhere, Lakes DHB treated seven people over the same five-year period for gunshot injuries.
Four were injured by a shotgun discharge. In three of these instances the shooter was an "unspecified person" and the fourth shooter was unknown to the victim.
One of the three other victims was injured by an air rifle discharge and the other two by an "unspecified firearm".
Meanwhile, the Herald last year reported 355 people in Auckland had been treated for gunshot wounds within the previous five years.
As well as the human toll, gun violence was costing taxpayers: nearly $15 million has been spent treating Auckland firearms victims over the same period.
Last month, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced the nationwide Operation Tauwhiro in response to an apparent escalation in gun violence.
Ten years ago, 1735 people were charged with 2828 firearms offences and 860 firearms were confiscated nationwide.
Last year, those figures had increased to 2399 people charged with 4552 offences and 1862 firearms seized.
Coster said at the time they could not "arrest their way" out of the problem of organised crime.
Instead, Coster promised police would take a nuanced approach and work with local communities.
In response, Bay of Plenty Police said they would measure the success of the operation on the reformation of criminals.
Bay of Plenty Police District Commander Superintendent Andy McGregor last month said "the historic approach has been enforcement".
Police would instead focus on helping gang members move away from criminal activity and also support their families, who might have been victimised.
"If you have a look at it from where we're going with this, this is about actually working with gang members who want to change their life around," he said.
Police organised crime reduction groups within the region have already started engaging with gangs to defuse conflict.
Firearms Safety Council Aotearoa New Zealand chairman Joe Green said incidents occur when firearm owners get complacent.
"It's a psychosocial thing," he said. "You've got a belief 'it won't happen to me', someone drops their guard and forgets to unload their firearm, for example.
"The big one for me from a risk management or safety management point of view is don't stop thinking - you've got to keep thinking all the time.
"You've got a firearm in your hand and it can be lethal, you've got to keep thinking … The error is one of the mind, rather than one of technical ability."
Green said it was vitally important people remember the seven rules of firearm safety.
• Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded
• Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
• Rule 3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire
• Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt
• Rule 5: Check your firing zone
• Rule 6: Store firearms and ammunition safely
• Rule 7: Avoid both alcohol and drugs when handling firearms.