Police hunt teen gunman after shots fired at party

By KELLY MAKIHA in Rotorua
A 14-year-old is on the loose after firing up to five shots and wounding a man at a child's birthday party.

The teenager who fired the gun at an Owhata home is a Mongrel Mob prospect described by police as "dangerous and reckless".

Police are appealing to the gang and his family to bring him out of hiding.

Several children and adults had been celebrating a 2-year-old's birthday at the Scott Rd house where the shooting took place. The shooting was one of two serious incidents involving firearms in Rotorua at the weekend.



In the second incident, a gun was pulled during a fight outside the Grumpy Mole bar early yesterday.

The fight was unrelated to Friday night's shooting which started after three teenagers were thrown out of the Scott Rd party.

Rotorua police Senior Sergeant Dennis Murphy said some of those at the Scott Rd party became annoyed with the three Mongrel Mob prospects, aged between 14 and 16, and threw them out about 9pm.

About 20 minutes later two, or possibly three, of the teens returned through the back of the property with either a sawn-off shotgun or a rifle and fired between three and five shots.

One hit a 25-year-old man in the hand. The wound was not considered serious.

The Rotorua Armed Offenders Squad carried out several searches of houses on the eastside of Rotorua and several people were spoken to.

Mr Murphy said police believed they knew who fired the firearm and were also looking for one or two others who were thought to be with him.

"We are appealing to him and his family, or anyone who is thinking about hiding him, to give him up peacefully.

"We are also wanting to find the firearm."

Mr Murphy said a 14-year-old who was willing to use a firearm was obviously a worry for police.

"We regard him as reckless and dangerous.

"I don't know what he is thinking, whether he thinks it's some kind of extension to a PlayStation game or movie.

"But this is real life and we have police actively looking for him so we can bring this to a conclusion peacefully.

"That's why we are appealing to his family and putting the pressure on the gang scene."

Mr Murphy said the shooting had nothing to do with a gang dispute.

It was more a case of a Mongrel Mob "wannabe" trying to get the gang's attention with his actions.

"We have this 14-year-old who has come back after some sort of dispute and decided to shoot the place up.

"I guess he thinks he is going to impress the Mongrel Mob with his actions and the sad reality is he probably has."

Meanwhile, police are appealing to witnesses of the fight outside the Grumpy Mole nightclub on Arawa St in Rotorua about 3.30am yesterday.

About 30 people were involved in the fight which centred on two men.

One man was knocked unconscious. One of his associates went to a car, returned with a firearm and pointed it at the other man. The man with the gun then drove off.

Mr Murphy said the police were called and made sure the area was safe before St John Ambulance staff were let in to treat the unconscious man. He is now recovering at home.

The police later searched two cars at gunpoint.

The vehicles were believed to have been involved in the incident outside the Grumpy Mole but no weapon was found.

Police want to hear from any witnesses who were outside the club and saw the man with the gun. Information should be passed on to 0800 TIPOFF.