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A woman shot by a stranger in darkness outside her house in Ngaruawahia has spoken of the ordeal - and urged anyone with information to come forward to police.
The restaurant worker who came to the country on a work visa just four months ago told the Herald her nights since have been tormented by fears the man would strike again.
The incident happened on Tuesday at 10pm when the woman finished her work shift at the takeaway shop located on Great South Rd.
“I was making my way to the house, which is only 100 metres away at the back of the shop.
“I saw the man briefly for some seconds, he was at the front of my house. I saw a gun in his hand,” she said.
A restaurant worker has bullet stuck in her arm after a gunman hiding in the dark opened fire at her in Ngaruawahia. Photo / Supplied
“He directed me to ‘shhh’ ... I was so scared. I shouted and screamed.
“I turned around to run away and he fired at me,” the woman said.
“I got shot. The bullet went inside my arm. It is still stuck inside. Doctors told me it is not safe to have surgery to remove it because it could prove more damaging to me.”
Usually, two chefs accompanied the woman to her house, but this night she was alone, she said.
“I am suffering nightmares every night. I feel like he will come back again.”
She said she did not remember much about the man but said that he was approximately 1.7m tall, and was wearing black-coloured clothing.
“I am so scared. I have no family or friends here. I just have my co-workers, who are currently supporting me.”
The woman spent all night in the hospital and was discharged the day after due to a shortage of vacant beds, she said.
“The police were with me too, they spoke to me for an hour. I have been asked to go to the station again on Monday morning.
“I am so shocked. It feels very dangerous to be alone now. It is horrible.
“I am afraid to work at night time. I can’t forget what happened.”
Bullet holes on the jacket of a woman who was shot at by a man hiding in the dark in front of her house in Ngaruawahia on Tuesday. Photo / Supplied
Initially, the woman did not want to share what happened to her with anyone but now she said “she wants everyone to feel safe in the community”, so decided to speak out.
“Police have not told me whether they have arrested the man or not. I want the community’s help I don’t know where to ask for support.”
Her co-worker who wishes not to be named told the Herald that around eight police cars along with the armed offenders’ squad responded to the scene.
“But by the time they arrived, the gunman had escaped in a car parked on the street.
“One chef told me the car had been there for at least three hours.”
The co-worker said he too was scared to go to work.
“It is horrible this happened. I can’t sleep for the last two nights because I work here full-time and normally we would be the first to come out. I might have been the first one to be shot.
A police spokesperson said they responded to reports of an incident involving a firearm, on Great South Rd, Ngāruawāhia, around 10 pm on Tuesday, June 20.
“It appears one person received minor injuries after they were shot with what is suspected to be an air rifle.”
The person was transported to the hospital with injuries and a scene examination had been conducted, they said.
“Police are in continued communication with the victim.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
Anyone who was driving in the area at the time and might have dashcam footage of the area or any information which might assist in the police investigation was asked to make contact via 105 phone service using reference file number 230621/4534.
