Family of slain police officer Matthew Hunt bless site of death with 100-plus uniformed police

Friends, family and colleagues of slain police officer Matthew Hunt were moved to tears during a powerful haka today during a blessing at the scene of the fatal shooting.

More than 150 Auckland police - in full dress uniform - gathered on Reynella Drive in Massey for a blessing ceremony with Hunt's loved ones.

The 28-year-old fallen officer's family and friends arrived in a mini van and were greeted by his colleagues with hugs and tears before the ceremony began at about midday.

Together they walked up Reynella Drive and stopped where flowers were laid across the mark the point where Hunt was shot after getting out of his patrol car on Friday.

A large framed portrait of the 28-year-old was carried by the officers. Prayers were spoken and songs were sung in his memory.

Police colleagues gather for a blessing ceremony at the site where Constable Matt Hunt was shot. Photo / Lincoln Tan

A haka was performed for Hunt by his colleagues, which moved many and brought tears to friends and family gathered around the site.

Speaking at the close of the ceremony, Waitematā Superintendent Naila Hassan said Hunt "will never be forgotten".

Hassan said Hunt paid the ultimate price in doing his job to keep "each and everyone of us" safe, and will be forever remembered in the hearts of loved ones and colleagues.

Hunt and a fellow officer, who was also shot, had stopped to check on a crashed car that they had earlier tried to stop nearby. A pedestrian was also injured and remains in hospital with the other injured officer.

Late yesterday, around 100 local residents also gathered on a hilly reserve overlooking the police cordon on Reynella Dr to pray and sing in memory of Hunt.

Massey residents organised the gathering at the crime scene at 4.30pm to show solidarity and "love as one family".

Aaron Hendry, 28, organised the gathering and lives just around the corner from the scene of the shooting.

"My wife wrote a small article for a blog I run and posted on a community page and we could just see that a lot of people were still hurting and grieving. I guess it just felt right for us to have some space for us to grieve together," Hendry said.

"It rocks you. Our world is not meant to be this way.

"There's grief all over. These things cause deep wounds and they don't go away fast. It just seems appropriate for us to offer a space for people to mourn."

About 150 police colleagues attended a prayer and blessing ceremony on Reynella Drive. Photo / Lincoln Tan

Prayers at Raynella Dr on June 20, 2020.

Rita Talanmaivao, 60, and Anita Burgess, 54, have been neighbours around the corner from the police shooting for decades. They said they have come out this afternoon to show support for their community and the family of the slain officer.

"There's so much negative stuff to deal with of late, following four weeks of hell with lockdown - we don't need this," Talanmaivao said.

"My thoughts are just with his family. So young, just 28."

One man at the gathering said: "We dream of a world where this doesn't happen, where we don't have this violence."

Many of the group walked down the hill together to place flowers, some returning in tears.

Aaron Hendry, 28, organised the gathering at Reynella Dr, Massey, on June 20, 2020, to remember slain police officer Matthew Hunt.

Residents gathering at Reynella Dr on June 20, 2020.