Partner of Karangahake Gorge man shot dead by police accuses cops of withholding information

The partner of a man shot dead by police officers last year has accused police of withholding information on how he died.

Mike Taylor, 57, was shot by police after allegedly attacking officers armed with a machete on his remote rural County Rd property near Paeroa in the Karangahake Gorge on June 10 last year.

Now, his partner, Natalie Avery, has spoken to the Herald to raise concerns over her dealings with police over the last eight months.

"I don't know who killed Michael, so any time I see an officer or have interaction with one I'm left wondering if that is the officer who killed Michael," Avery said.

"I am finding this very hard to deal with."

After the shooting, Avery had claimed that police had shot Taylor as he had been walking away from them.

However, police said the results of a post-mortem revealed that Taylor was shot in the torso.

Despite repeated requests, Avery says she is still awaiting to receive a copy of the pathologist's report.

"I find that very concerning," she said.

"I've heard of people being given them, so I feel this delay is because this is a police shooting."

The scene of the fatal police shooting in Karangahake village near Paeroa on June 10, 2016. Photo / Alan Gibson

Avery, with help from the New Zealand Police Conduct Association (NZPCA), has also lodged a formal complaint with Police Commissioner Mike Bush and the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) over a search warrant executed at the couple's Karangahake property the day after the shooting.

She claims police withheld a list of the items seized from the property during the search, despite the NZPCA saying police were legally obliged to provide one.

It took seven months and repeated requests for it to be handed over.

"What are they trying to hide?" Avery said yesterday.

"I am not being updated - this is frustrating and disappointing."

NZPCA president Shannon Parker slammed the police handling of Avery.

"Natalie is a victim here and she deserves to be afforded some more respect from the police and be given the information that she is legally entitled to," Parker said.

The IPCA and the Coroner are carrying out independent inquiries into the shooting.

Waikato District Commander Superintendent Bruce Bird said police are taking Avery's complaints "very seriously".

"So for that reason, we have assigned a senior officer from Police National Headquarters to meet with her and help work through her concerns," Bird said.

It's understood the senior officer will meet with Avery and Parker later this month.