Community update after March shooting

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A community meeting at Patutahi this week to bring residents up to date on progress after a child was shot in March, attracted about 50 people.

A nine-year-old boy had been riding a quad bike on a road in the rural area on March 5, and had stopped, when he was shot in the arm with a slug gun.

The child required surgery on his arm as a result of being shot.

The meeting at Patutahi was filmed for an upcoming segment on The Hui, a current affairs show on TV3.

Kim Tupara, the mother of the young boy injured, said she felt the meeting went well and a community Facebook page would be set up as a result of it.

To date no one has been charged in relation to the incident.

A statement from Eastern District Police yesterday confirmed police had responded to the incident.

“The investigation into this incident is ongoing and we are making good progress but we still need to hear from anyone who has any information that may help.

“If you have any information about this incident, or about similar incidents which may have gone unreported, please contact Police on 105.

“Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.?”