Police out as Wairoa gangs clash

File photo / APN

Police and the armed offenders squad will be out in force in the northern Hawke's Bay town of Wairoa tonight, following the second gang-related shooting within five days.

A 48-year-old Mongrel Mob member man was shot twice with a shotgun, once in the back and once in the side, as he pumped fuel into his vehicle at a service station on the main road last night.

The gunman ran off after the shooting.

The attack appeared to be a retaliation for another shooting on Monday night, where a 17-year-old Black Power member was shot in the chest outside Mongrel Mob headquarters.

Wairoa, which has a population of about 8500 with about half living in the town itself, has been the scene of a number of gang shootings this year. In August a man was shot in the face during an all-in violent brawl which saw 24 people arrested and the month before another gang member was shot in the face

Sergeant Aubrey Ormond of Wairoa police told NZPA Wairoa was not in the middle of a gang war but last night's shooting was essentially retaliation for Monday night's "drunken escapade by the victim's lot".

Police had not yet made any arrests or found a weapon but had searched properties, he said.

They were yet to speak to the victim, who came out of surgery overnight and was making good progress towards recovery, Mr Ormond said.

This afternoon was quiet but police were preparing for the violence to possibly escalate tonight and armed offenders and extra police staff were in the town tonight, he said.

Mr Ormond said the shooting, in broad daylight and on a busy forecourt, was a "brazen, foolish, stupid act."

Police were not telling people to stay home in Wairoa tonight. "Life goes on but we will be here in force."

There had been shootings in Wairoa in the past, some fatal, but the frequency of the latest shootings were a worry, Mr Ormond said.

Why more firearms were being used was "the million dollar question", he said.

Police had spoken to the gang leaders but "we are achieving things with them, but you have to take into account who they are and what their agenda is".

Meanwhile, Wairoa mayor Les Probert told NZPA the latest shooting was the catalyst for the town to do something about the gangs.

"Mainly it's fighting each other in their own pads, but now this is an entirely different situation. It took place at a service station on a Friday afternoon. It's an act of absolute stupidity and we are not going to put up with it.

"It could have been a real catastrophe."

The violence had escalated over the last few months, he said.

"These gangs are always at each other and it's one-upmanship. I am not sure if it's the younger ones or the older ones but whoever it is, we don't care now and we are going to deal with it."

It could involve something like Wanganui's gang patch ban, if that was practical.

"We will take it as far as we can. I am not sure what we can do, there may be legislation, maybe more police."

Police were doing a good job but could not be everywhere all the time, Mr Probert said.

Over the years authorities had spoken with the gangs and could meet with them again, he said.

"We have got these two gangs, one of each side of the river and of course it doesn't matter what agreement you come to with one of them, if another drives past and fires a gun then there's retaliation."

Mr Probert said the gangs generally fought each other on their own patches and locals said it was not a gang town.

"It's a good town, it's a very safe town. It happens in Flaxmere, Christchurch, Auckland but in a small town like Wairoa it's more obvious."

- NZPA