A man is run over by a car outside a gig in Palmerston North and the incident is thought to be part of events leading up to a fatal shooting later in the weekend. Video / Supplied
The Palmerston North community is still on edge as gang tensions continue to run high following an arrest of a gang member late last week.
On Friday, police seized several weapons, including four guns, and arrested a man affiliated with Black Power.
A specialist police dog from Wellington was also involved in the search, which is part of the force’s ongoing Operation London, Inspector Ross Grantham, Manawatū area commander said.
“Seven men affiliated with Black Power were located, four of whom were from out of town,” Grantham said.
One person has been arrested and charged with breach of bail.
“Additionally, four firearms and a number of other weapons were located and have been seized by police.”
The arrest follows escalating tensions between gangs in Palmerston North - primarily the Mongrel Mob and Black Power.
The feud began on Friday last week when a Black Power member had their finger cut off and was de-patched as payback for the killing of Palmerston North Mob member Raniel Kiu in May.
Mongrel Mob member Hori Gage was fatally shot outside his home in daylight last Sunday, with the 27-year-old father’s death coming after three days of unrest between the Mongrel Mob and Black Power in the city.
Hori Gage was killed in a shooting on August 6 in Palmerston North. Photo / Facebook
Gage is not believed to have been involved in the incident on Friday night outside a bar on Main St, during which a person was also violently run down in the street by a car.
Lifetime Black Power member and community advocate Denis O’Reilly told the Herald on Monday the situation in Palmerston North is “sad, and unnecessary” but he believes the police are handling it well.
“One young man has lost his life and, and, in what looks to be a pretty random fashion, you know, I mean, the facts will emerge, I suppose. It’s unnecessary and then another young person who’s lost [a] finger or fingers and will be also pretty traumatised,” O’Reilly said.
Black Power life member and community advocate Denis O'Reilly. Photo / NZME
“The whole community is on edge.”
O’Reilly said the behaviour is “not okay” and the prevalence of methamphetamine is only making things worse.
“This methamphetamine is being aggressively sent to New Zealand... not one molecule of methamphetamine is indigenous to this country.”
Despite this, O’Reilly said the police are rallying both at a community level, by engaging with social leaders, and also by some “pretty hard-ass policing”.
“There will be detectives pursuing forensic roots and gathering evidence. So that’s why I say, you know, it’s sad, it’s unnecessary but I think the police have pretty much got it under control.”
The police told the Herald they have nothing further to add about the situation in Palmerston North following last week’s arrest, but would release any more information proactively.
The Herald has also contacted Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith for further comments.
Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.
