Mt Roskill shooting victim determined to be fit again

A woman who was shot after confronting boy racers doing skids outside her home in the middle of the night has described feeling like she was drowning in her own blood after a bullet hit her chest.

The 34-year-old mother was in a critical condition after she was shot on August 10 on Fulljames Ave, Mt Roskill around 3.10am.

Neighbours fled their homes in terror after hearing shots and a car racing away.

Speaking exclusively to the Herald on Sunday, the injured woman said they had endured many nights of boy racer activity in the area.

"I heard cars revving and some people doing skids out on the road at 3am in the morning.

"I have a small baby, it was the fourth time this had happened.

"So I went out where my front gate is to tell them to go do it somewhere else.

"One of the cars reversed up on the right where I was standing by the fence and then suddenly I felt pain in my chest. I walked up to my front door and saw blood."

A 34-year-old woman was taken to hospital after suffering a gunshot wound on August 10. Photo / Hayden Woodward.

One of her relatives rang for an ambulance.

"It was like drowning in my own blood," said the woman, who did not want to be named.

"The bullet went from the front, hit the top of my lung and went through the bottom of it... if it had been two centimetres to the left I would not be here.

"It stayed in my chest wall. I did not realise how bad it was until I heard the doctor say I'll need surgery."

The victim of the Mt Roskill shooting showing the injuries she sustained when she was shot with an airgun outside her house on Fulljames Ave. Photo / Dean Purcell

The woman said she had been in pain every day since the incident.

"Still to this day if it's cold I get agonising pain down my back, which I believe will never go away.

"I've been put with an ACC psychologist for my trauma. I went to the doctor who laid out the actual injuries I had, which are a lot."

After coming back from the hospital, the woman said she was in panic mode.

"Because I had to stay straight, I slept on the couch to stay still. Wind noises kept me up. I was just scared.

"I couldn't pick my daughter up or even cuddle her, she would call out to me, 'Mumma... Mumma', and I just wouldn't be able to. I tried once but it was just too painful.

"I laid on the floor to read to her, that was the only way of being close to her."

Even today sometimes going on her bike on the road makes her scared, she said.

"When my baby's playing in the front yard that incident comes to my mind."

The 34-year-old mother who was shot with an airgun in August, standing outside her house on Fulljames Ave, Mt Roskill. Photo / Dean Purcell

Despite the tragedy, the mother was intent on being "fit again" with the support of her whānau.

"Her [the baby] father really stepped up to take care of us. My mother is also in Auckland, she comes here every week, and she is supporting me.

"I am into gardening and landscaping so I occupy my mind doing that.

"I'm into cycling and that's my new project."

The woman said she was determined to find good in life.

"Whenever I have had anything worse happen to me people have shown me kindness, restoring my faith in humanity.

"I want those responsible to understand guns are not toys and they kill people. I hope they can be rehabilitated and give back to the community.

"I believe we as a community should also think amongst us what we are doing to get young people to the point they can get a gun and shoot people."

A woman was shot on Fulljames Avenue, Mt Roskill just after 3am on August 10. Photo / Michael Craig

Police have confirmed two teenagers were arrested after a woman was shot with an airgun in Mt Roskill, Auckland.

Hanan Omar had to move out of her house with her family of four after her neighbour was shot in August. Photo / Michael Craig

Hanan Omar lived in the house adjoining the victim's and said what she heard that night was very frightening and forced the family of four to flee.

"We are really sorry for what happened last night. It woke us all up," Omar said.

"It was too scary. As soon as I heard the shots I put my hands on my ear. There were two shots."

Omar said the neighbourhood had problems with boy racers, however, they never seemed to come down their street.

"I'm shaken and scared, the Government needs to sort out guns.

"It never happened before, this is the first time."