Wairoa shooting: Resident frustrated after ‘one police car’ turned up to check on reports

A Wairoa woman living on a street where a late-night shooting occurred, says the initial police response of sending one police car was inadequate.

The McLean Street resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was outside having a cigarette when she heard the popping sounds of what she claimed were four gunshots at about 12.45am on Friday.

“I thought ‘those weren’t fireworks’ and a couple of minutes later there were three cars that sped off down the street towards Lambton Square.”

She said after hearing the shots she called 105, and got an answering machine, and hung up to dial 111.

A McLean St resident said she heard four gun shots. Photo / Warren Buckland

The woman said she checked in with her neighbour after the incident who told her it had woken her mokopuna up, and that she too had called the police.

“You’d think with a shooting, and knowing Wairoa when there is gunshots, there would be an immediate response,” the woman said.

“It took about half an hour to three-quarters of an hour before the police actually arrived.”

She said the single police car, which had a male and female officer inside, spent 45 minutes at the scene, which included what appeared to be a flashlight search.

Once they left, her family then spent the rest of the night together in the same room of their home.

“We were huddled - not scared - we just thought for safety reasons we would sleep in the lounge.

“You’d think they [the police] would have come inside and seen if we were okay.”

The resident said it was well known that gang members lived in some of the homes, and said she felt the shooting was gang and drug-related.

“It’s drugs and paybacks - the place is riddled with drugs.”

She said the number of incidents was embarrassing for the town, which has had an increased police presence since a gang brawl in July.

She said that as of Monday she had not received a visit or further questioning from police after the incident.

A spokesperson said police attended reports of gunshot sounds at an address in Wairoa.

“Police arrived ... on Friday, September 6 around 12.45am and spoke with the occupier. No one at the address reported any injuries.

“Initial area inquiries were undertaken at the time of the report and further inquiries were completed later on Friday morning.”

Police said the investigation was still under way.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.