KEY POINTS:
Investigations into the police fatal shooting of a hammer-wielding man on a Christchurch street last month are likely to extend well into the new year.
Christchurch police are probing the killing of Stephen Jon Bellingham, 37, who was shot dead by a senior police officer in Stanmore Rd on September 26.
A Police Complaints Authority (PCA) investigation is running parallel to the Christchurch homicide investigation.
Police said Mr Bellingham, originally from Napier, was shot twice after ignoring warnings and advancing on the police officer with the hammer held over his head in a threatening manner.
Police had been called after reports of him smashing up his Linwood flat and attacking cars parked nearby with a claw hammer.
However, conflicting versions have emerged over the way Mr Bellingham was shot, with one couple claiming he was standing still with his hands at his sides and a man saying he was rushing towards the police officer, who fired his police-issue 9mm Glock pistol from a distance of about a metre.
In a brief statement today, Canterbury police district commander Superintendent Sandra Manderson said the homicide probe was continuing.
"The investigation is ongoing and it will be some time before a decision will be made regarding any culpability," Ms Manderson said.
She confirmed the officer remained off duty but was unable to comment further.
However, Wellington-based PCA investigator Norman Cook said it would be February or March before the authority had completed its initial inquiries and was in a position to address "police policy practice procedures".
Mr Cook said he'd visited Christchurch and had also met Mr Bellingham's family in Hawke's Bay.
He expected police "should be ready in a couple of weeks" to seek a legal opinion on whether the police officer was criminally culpable.
"We're aware the police have almost completed their investigation," he said today.
"There are external matters then to be addressed and the authority has yet to decide our ongoing line of investigation."
Mr Cook said he hoped the investigations wouldn't drag on.
"We won't be taking the same length of time that we have in the past," he said.
"I would imagine we'll be addressing a final report from the authority even perhaps before the coroner had completed the inquest. "We want to move things along."
The PCA probe was "making haste slowly" and Mr Cook said the file covered his desk "and will keep me gainfully employed for a wee while yet, I suspect".
He said it was "in everyone's interest" to complete inquiries properly as soon as possible.
"But despite our best efforts, it's still a fairly long process."
Bellingham family spokesman John Trischler, Mr Bellingham's uncle, said the family was being kept informed about progress in both inquiries and was unconcerned at the timeframe for a final report.
"We'll just work through it and comment once we've got the report," Mr Trischler said.
"We'd rather have all the information and get the right result, rather than have a witch-hunt.
"The family would like to see something beneficial come out of Stephen's death."
Mr Trischler said tasers were perhaps something the police needed to seriously consider for general issue.
"Things could have been a bit different if they'd had tasers, who knows," he said.
"But hindsight's a wonderful thing."
He said Mr Bellingham's parents were gradually coming to terms with his loss and appreciated the condolences and messages they'd received from around the country.
- NZPA
