Drive-by could have been fatal, say police

A teenager shot in the back as he walked along a Hutt Valley street was lucky not to be more seriously injured and could have been killed, police say.

The 15-year-old victim was shot in a possibly gang-related drive-by shooting while he and a 14-year-old youth were walking near the intersection of Hewer Cres and Meldrum St, Naenae, early yesterday evening.

Police are appealing to the public for information about two, possibly three, cars seen driving in convoy in the area at the time.

Around lunchtime today Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy, of Lower Hutt CIB, said the victim was conscious and in a stable condition in Hutt Hospital with a projectile lodged in his back or chest muscle.

Police were still waiting to be told by the hospital whether the projectile would be removed.

The victim was extremely lucky his injuries were not more serious, and it was possible he could have been killed.

"My understanding is that ... he's been shot once in the back. The projectile has missed all the vital organs and lodged itself in the muscle area of the chest," Mr Levy said.

"He was very fortunate it did not strike any vital organs."

Police had yet to establish the calibre of firearm involved. He could not rule out the possibility a very high-powered air rifle was used and doubted it would be any bigger than a .22 calibre weapon.

While the victim was not a gang member, he was known to Black Power members, and the possibility of Mongrel Mob involvement could not be ruled out.

The reason for the shooting was unclear and police were unaware of any trouble that could have led up to it.

So far investigators had received no reports of any interaction between the victim and those in the cars before the shooting.

The vehicles police were trying to track down, one described as a black Subaru station wagon, were believed to have been parked in the Naenae shopping centre earlier yesterday afternoon.

"We'd like to know who was in those vehicles and where they and the cars are now," Mr Levy said.

Police were following positive leads as they tried to track down the people in the vehicles.

- NZPA