Gang wars bring another death

A police tent covers the 19-year-old's body as investigators search the area where about 20 youths clashed. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Otahuhu residents and community leaders say running battles over gang affiliations, drugs and money are worsening and the latest incident, which left a teenager dead and a man in hospital, is no surprise.

Police were still trying last night to find the reason for the murder of a 19-year-old who was shot dead after about 20 youths clashed at the junction of Nikau Rd and Awa St.

A 27-year-old was also shot and was in a stable condition in Middlemore Hospital last night after surgery.

Daphne Schollum, who lives in Awa St, woke about 3.30am to the sound of a woman's screams.

"There was a lot of shouting and yelling and I heard a woman really crying ... and then I knew something was wrong because she started to scream.

"Then she was sobbing, such a terrible, broken-hearted sob, it was cruel."

Late last night a tent put up by Counties Manukau police was still in place as investigators combed the area and spoke to witnesses.

Detective Senior Sergeant Sue Schwalger said the 19-year-old who was shot died at the scene.

It is understood a fight broke out and spilled down the road. A man who lives nearby said there were similar scenes every week.

But other neighbours insisted they heard nothing.

Dale Foreman said the first he knew was when he got up in the morning and "there were police everywhere". Gul Paiwandi said she slept through the night.

Near the police tent was a brown Subaru Legacy stationwagon with its windscreen shattered. The registered owner, Semisi Moala, could not be contacted, and a woman who said he was her partner would not comment because she "had no idea what happened". Mr Moala was not at their Otara home, she said. She would not say more about his whereabouts or condition.

An ambulance spokesman said emergency services were called to a Nikau Rd address about 3.30am.

Most residents in the area are Housing New Zealand tenants.

Kirsten Macintosh said she woke when she heard a loud scream and lots of shouting.

"Then I heard a sound like two loud cars driving fast heading out of the street."

The incident comes a week after an 18-year-old was stabbed to death outside a house in Manurewa. Again, a large group of youths were involved in a skirmish before the teenager died.

Jan Welch, deputy chairwoman of the Tamaki Community Board, said problems between young gangs in southern parts of Auckland were escalating and drugs and money were usually the cause.

Otahuhu town manager Graham Mullins said youths' lives were sometimes decided by whether they wore a blue or a red bandanna.

"It's terrifying that these are our future generation."

The shooting came as no surprise to Papatoetoe Boxing Club trainer Grant Arkell, who has worked with South Auckland teenagers for 15 years.

"There has been a feeling round here for the past couple of years that something is going to explode."

It was common to see small groups of youths hanging around the streets with nothing to do. They joined gangs and had no ambition.

South Auckland sometimes felt like another world.

"I had one 18-year-old kid whom I took to a tournament in Glenfield. He didn't even know there was a harbour bridge. He asked how long it had been there."

- Additional reporting: Maggie McNaughton