Kaoss Price shooting: Police reveal more details about fatal incident

Police have revealed new details about the killing of Taranaki man Kaoss Price - including that he was unarmed and had tried to carjack several innocent motorists' vehicles when he was shot.

Price died after police shot him following a vehicle stop of an associate of Price as the pair were driving in separate cars along State Highway 3 between New Plymouth and Waitara about 9.30pm on Saturday.

Police say Price - from Bell Block - drove past the area where his associate had been stopped by police, before he turned around and then rammed into a police car.

Assistant commissioner Sandra Venables said Price had driven at high speed toward police - with his headlights switched off - before crossing the centre line and narrowly missing the stationary police car.

"He has turned around and driven at high speed toward police, before crossing the centre line and narrowly missing the stationary police car.

"He continued down the road before making a second U-turn and driving back toward police, this time ramming the police car at speed," Venables said

Price then continued down the road before making a second U-turn and driving back toward police. The force of the impact "shunted" the police car off the road.

Price then left the car and tried to drive a number of other vehicles from members of the public.

In total the scene of the incident stretched about 230m along SH3, and 15 vehicles and one trailer were examined.

Venables said he was shot while attempting to take control of one of these vehicles. She confirmed that he was unarmed.

"Police immediately commenced first aid, however, Mr Price was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance staff," she said.

Venables said he did not have a firearm and police did not recover any firearms from the scene.

A post-mortem has been completed and he has been returned to whānau, who are being supported by police and other services.

Kaoss Price was shot and killed by police over the weekend in Taranaki. Photo / Supplied

Venables has appealed for witnesses to come forward.

"Police would like to speak to anyone with information or footage that may assist the inquiry."

Information can be provided to police by emailing: OperationWoods@police.govt.nz."

An investigation team is currently being led by a detective superintendent, detective inspector and detective senior sergeant.

The scene of the incident stretched about 230m along SH3 and exhibits requiring forensic examination included 15 vehicles and one trailer.

Meanwhile, Corrections is investigating how Price's community-based sentence was managed by its staff before the 22-year-old was shot dead by police.

A Corrections spokesperson confirmed to the NZ Herald that an "event review" would be carried out to determine whether the community-based sentence Price was serving at the time of his death was managed appropriately.

The Herald was working to confirm to what offence his sentence corresponded. It was understood Price was charged in late February and also had a scheduled appearance in court this week.

Police at the cordon surrounding the scene of Price's death. Photo / Tara Shaskey

In addition to standard release conditions, Price also had to adhere to special release conditions, including not taking drugs or alcohol, pursuing employment and attending a rehabilitation programme.

"[Price's] compliance with both his standard and special release conditions remain subject to our ongoing event review," the spokesperson said.

Commissioning an event review was decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the incident.

The review would be assigned to someone not directly involved in Price's management, but someone with the knowledge to provide a thorough review and detailed findings.

The parameters of the review were determined upon its commission and varied depending on the incident.

The review would likely discuss Corrections' standards of practice, as well as an "analysis of risk assessments and how our decisions or actions aligned with the assessed level of risk", the spokesperson said.

In a statement on Tuesday, assistant police commissioner Sandra Venables said the investigation team assigned to the incident would undertake a "methodical and meticulous inquiry" to understand the series of events that led to Price's death.

"Police are committed to ensuring that all facts are gathered and confirmed prior to public release in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation," she said.

People who witnessed the incident, along with several vehicles, were the focus of the investigation at that point.

It comes after a woman who claimed to have spoken with Price the morning before he died said the young man referenced his past mistakes and his will to change.

Karen, who did not supply a last name, told Newstalk ZB on Monday Price had talked about his life and upbringing.

"He was telling us about, you know, the mistakes there had been in life and he said he loved us when he left and that he wants to make changes.

"At the end of the day, he's a son, a brother, a grandson."

The mistakes he may have been referencing had been laid out during a successful High Court appeal of his sentence in November last year of two years, six months in prison on charges including burglary, police chases, failing to stop, escaping custody and theft.