Shargin Stephens coroner inquest in Rotorua: Police officer describes chaos, adrenaline and tunnel vision

“Absolute chaos”, adrenaline and tunnel vision ruled the initial police response to Shargin Stephens’ attack on an empty police car, the coroner’s inquest in Rotorua was told on Wednesday.

The inquest, which began on Monday, follows a 2022 Independent Police Conduct Authority report that found “unreasonable and oppressive” bail checks on Stephens, 35, by police may have contributed to his actions on the day he was fatally shot.

It was previously reported Stephens was Tasered, pepper-sprayed and then shot by police near Redwood Shopping Centre in Te Ngae on July 14, 2016, after he threatened police and members of the public with a long-handled slasher.

He died 12 days later in Waikato Hospital.

All police officers involved in the inquest have name suppression.

On Tuesday, the inquest heard from the police officer who was outside his marked vehicle while Stephens attacked its lights and windows with the slasher.

The officer said he had no means of protecting himself and believed he was dealing with a person who hated police.

The officer told the inquest he was able to get into the car and drive away from Stephens. He then turned around to follow Stephens and made a 10-10 call for assistance on his radio.

Less than five minutes after the officer made that call, Stephens was fatally shot.

Evidence from a second police officer began on Tuesday and continued the following day.

Referred to as Officer L03, he was the first to respond to the 10-10 callout.

In response to questions on his statement from police counsel Amanda Gordon, L03 told the inquest he was driving out of the station gate when a 10-10 call came over the radio.

“A 10-10 is a [police officer] in trouble. In fact, it doesn’t get any higher than that,” L03 said.

“Someone’s in serious trouble and we’ve got to get there quick.

“We knew something had happened. We knew it was bad but at that time we didn’t know exactly what it was and as we were getting closer we started to gather more information.”

L03 said that at the time the police radio was “going nuts” but as he and his partner drove towards Vaughan Rd he received a description of Stephens.

“I think we were told it was a slasher.”

L03 was the first officer on the scene at Marino Rd and the first police officer to speak to Stephens.

“I hopped out of my car and I challenged him, telling him to drop it. I flicked the Taser on and just told him to drop it, drop it, drop it.”

L03 said he could see Stephens was armed with the slasher and a spanner.

Shargin Stephens was fatally shot in 2016.

“I challenged him again and he started to run towards the next driveway. I ran after him. He turned on me. I challenged him again. That’s when the spanner came flying at me.”

L03 told the inquest he discharged his Taser twice. Both cartridges were ineffective.

“One of the barbs, the second shot, hit him in the top lip.”

L03 said he was experiencing “huge amounts” of adrenaline and “tunnel vision” at the time.

“My world was very small.”

Other officers arrived at the scene and L03 said they followed Stephens into an auto repair shop.

“It’s a weird thing. I’ve got no memory of how I got from [Marino Rd] to Te Ngae Rd,” L03 said.

“So somehow I end up there, looking at traffic. The next thing …”

“Is the next thing you know that shots had been fired?” Gordon asked.

“Yeah.”

On Wednesday, under examination from Chris Gudsell, KC, who was assisting the coroner, L03 said he had not received training on the difference between a 10-10 code, which signalled an officer in danger, and a 10-9 code which called for urgent assistance.

“You’re talking semantics,” L03 said.

“At the end of the day, if I hear a 10-9 or a 10-10 it makes absolutely no difference. We need to get there because someone’s in trouble and we need to bail them out.

“You don’t call it a 10-9 or a 10-10 unless you’re deep in it.”

L03 said as he drove to the scene he did not know his colleague was safe.

“I have no memory of knowing that he was safe as we were coming in. We’ve still got an active armed offender. How can you say if he’s safe?”

Gudsell asked if it would be fair to say “everyone” was doing “their own individual, possibly tunnel-vision, high-adrenaline thing”.

“Yes. The command and control didn’t come in until after,” L03 said.

“It’s absolute chaos.”

“There was no one actually in control on this day in the little over 4.5 minutes from 10-10 to shooting was there?” Gudsell asked.

“I suppose not,” L03 said. “The chaos started from the moment we got out of the car.”

Coroner Michael Robb said for three minutes before being confronted by L03, Stephens appeared to have been walking calmly.

“As soon as you get there, it’s an explosive situation. It speeds up in time in terms of its final outcome. So there’s no training in trying to slow things down?” Robb asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” L03 said.

L03 said there was no opportunity to de-escalate the situation.

“Say we had managed to cordon and contain then we might have been able to bring it down a step but while he’s still essentially an active armed offender then at that point it’s not an option.”

“You’re thinking about risks and kind of going to worst-case scenarios as to what might happen?” Robb asked.

“That’s the way we’re taught to think so we get home safe,” L03 said.

But L03 said training and technology had both “come a long way” since 2016.

“Scenario training then and now are two different animals,” L03 said.

“I think the police have taken notice of these sorts of jobs and they’re trying to get better.”

The inquest was set to continue hearing from police witnesses on Thursday.

Maryana Garcia is a regional reporter writing for the Rotorua Daily Post and the Bay of Plenty Times. She covers local issues, health and crime.