Napier shooting: A self-styled Rambo

A friend described Jan Molenaar as a 'dab hand' with guns and a loner. Photo / TVNZ

A friend of gunman Jan Molenaar says he styles himself on Sylvester Stallone's Rambo film character and could have rigged his house with explosives.

The friend told NZPA that Molenaar was a former Territorial Army soldier who strived to be like the movie character.

He said Molenaar had been out walking his dog yesterday morning when he returned to find the police executing their search warrant.

Molenaar was a "dab hand" with guns and explosives, and a loner with only a few close friends.

He was obsessed with his fitness and had been known to run up Napier Hill with his brother on his back.

Molenaar's brother told TVNZ's Close Up last night that Jan Molenaar might be using guns he used in pig hunting and during his time as a soldier.

Peter Molenaar said his brother used to keep his guns in a sealed case in the family home when they were growing up.

"He used to get into it ... a bit of body-building, and fire a lot of shots down the river."

Their mother, Anna Molenaar, was inconsolable last night.

"Police told me my son was involved in all the shooting. I just broke down.

"I had one son commit suicide, so this is just another one ... you have to live through again."

Mrs Molenaar despaired that Mr Snee's life had been lost over a small amount of drugs.

She told Close Up: "I just want to apologise to the policeman that was shot ...

"What are they [Jan] trying to protect? That is what I want to know. A silly marijuana plant? What a thing to protect ... [and] take someone's life."

Eastern district commander Superintendent Sam Hoyle said yesterday that Jan Molenaar was known to police, but only in a minor way.

"He was certainly not on our radar as a high-risk offender. The job the police went to this morning was a very mundane, low-level cannabis operation."

additional reporting: NZPA