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BLENHEIM - Police in full riot gear sealed off Blenheim District Court as a man charged with a gang-related shooting appeared today on a murder charge.
Police in flak jackets stood by the dock as Aaron James Harvey was remanded in custody, charged with the murder of Carl Edward MacDonald.
Mr MacDonald, 39, died in hospital after being shot at the Lone Legion motorcycle gang's Blenheim headquarters in Gascoigne St, Riversdale, about 9am on Saturday.
Harvey, 34, who faced a second charge of unlawful assembly, was remanded until September 24.
Gregory Ferguson Cleland, 36, Corey William Mackle, 28, Peter Christopher Tait, 49, and Jason David Warren, 26, appeared in the dock with Harvey, all charged with unlawful assembly.
Cleland and Mackle were listed as living in Gascoigne St.
All four were remanded in custody until September 24.
All those entering the courthouse were questioned by police and were searched, as well as surrendering their cellphones.
Tensions were high following the brief appearance, with a person in a car driving by shouting a threat to a person on the steps of the courthouse.
The shooting occurred at the fortified Lone Legion gang house.
A specialist police search team from Christchurch is completing a scene examination today.
Inspector Steve Caldwell, area commander of the Marlborough police, said today it was the first murder in the region since 1999.
He said he believed it was a one-off and tragic situation involving local people.
"There is no sign of any escalation or gang-related problems," he said.
A post mortem on Mr MacDonald's body will be held in Nelson today.
- NZPA
