Fatal police pursuit: Victim had applied to join the force

One of the people killed in an Auckland crash during a police pursuit had applied to join the force.

And it has been revealed he died on his niece's birthday.

Connor Talaimanu, 29, and Sharina Storm Meuli, 25, were in the back seat of a car when the driver allegedly fled police on St Lukes Rd in Morningside shortly after 1am on Labour Day.

The car crashed into a tree and the backseat passengers were both killed.

The Herald can reveal that Talaimanu had applied to join the police not long before his death.

His dream was to become a police officer and he was working his way through the application process.

Police would not be drawn on his application.

"We cannot respond to this due to privacy reasons," a spokeswoman said.

An investigation into the crash is under way.

The driver has not been charged at this stage.

Tributes left at the site of a crash on St Lukes Rd in Morningside, Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig

Talaimanu is survived by his parents, sister, brother-in-law and a niece.

A family member revealed, on a page set up to pay tribute to Talaimanu, that Talaimanu died on a niece's birthday.

"This week was the hardest for all of us," he wrote.

"Hearing the news of my brother Connor passing at 3am while we were holidaying in the Gold Coast.

"The news ripped us up."

The family were not ready to speak publicly about Talaimanu's death.

His funeral was held on Sunday at the Manurewa Rugby Club.