Due to a police incident North Parade is currently closed between North Avon Rd and New Brighton Rd.
The Russian man who died after an armed police standoff in Christchurch last week was fascinated by guns and Nazi memorabilia.
But his father denies he was anti-Muslim, a former special forces soldier, or a threat after the Christchurch mosque terror attacks.
Police raided the home of Artemiy Vldimirovich Dubovskiy, also known as Troy Dubovskiy, last Tuesday after a tip-off from the public.
Officers found a cache of firearms, including a modified semi-automatic weapon, along with Nazi uniforms, helmets and clothing.
Dubovskiy, who had spent time in jail for a violent home invasion where he put a replica German WW2 Luger pistol to a man's head, never returned home that day and went on the run.
The 54-year-old welder was found inside his parked silver Mitsubishi Pajero in a cul-de-sac in the Richmond area of the city at around 12.30pm that night.
Mourners at the funeral of Artemiy Vldimirovich Dubovskiy, also known as Troy Dubovskiy, in Christchurch today. Photo / MartinHunter/Star.kiwi
Dubovskiy was soon surrounded by Armed Offenders Squad (AOS), police dogs, a Police Negotiation Team and circling police Eagle helicopter above.
At about 3.40am, after a prolonged standoff, officers approached the vehicle and found Dubovskiy critically injured with what appeared to be stab wounds. A knife was located in the vehicle, but no firearms.
Immediate first aid was given but Dubovskiy died at the scene.
Today as they prepared for their son's private funeral service for this afternoon, Dubovskiy's father Vlad Dubovskiy and mother Inna Georgiyevna spoke of their devastation.
They say they still don't know what happened to their son or why police were suddenly interested in him.
"I realise that police, after this terrorist attack, was worried about weapons with any people. I can understand it," Vlad Dubovskiy told the Herald.
"But … there was no reason or intention to use these weapons for a terrorist attack, there was nothing, nothing. Our life is now completely broken."
Vlad, an engineer, moved to New Zealand in 1997 and his son Troy followed him a few months later.
Police at the scene near Richmond Park, Christchurch, after the protracted standoff with armed police overnight on March 26. Photo / Dean Purcell
He denied that his son had been in the Soviet Army. Earlier claims by his son's friends that Dubovskiy had served in the Russian special forces and had fought in Afghanistan and Chechnya were incorrect, he said.
Dubovskiy was chief of security at a Russian bank before he left his homeland, his father said.
But he admitted that his son was "fanatical" about firearms and military history, particularly World War II memorabilia. He wasn't aware if his son had any ammunition for the weapons.
He had a "private" collection of Nazi things in his St Martins home, Vlad said.
"Before fascism, it was the National Socialist Party and it was different to fascism. And my son was a collector … German people were attractive to him. There is nothing illegal about that," he said.
"I don't know what police were worried about. [Troy] never gave any indication or reason to use these weapons. He never shoot [sic] these weapons. They were just his collection.
Artemiy "Troy" Dubovskiy's dad Vlad says his son phoned while the family were with police that night but claims officers did not allow him to speak to him. Photo / Supplied
Before the family moved to New Zealand, they had lived and worked in the Crimea and Uzbekistan "where a lot of Muslims lived".
"There was never any conflict, nothing. It was just normal relationships. There was never any differences between people. In Soviet people, all people, all religions, all people are friendly to each other. So for us, it's normal," Vlad said.
On the night police were hunting Dubovskiy, his father and other family members were at a police station in Christchurch.
"They were asking, 'Where is your son?' I didn't know where he was," Vlad said. Troy had been working earlier that day but hadn't returned home, his father said. His property was raided that day by police.
His son phoned while the family were with police that night but officers didn't allow him to speak to him, Vlad claims.
They stayed at the police station until 4am - after his son had died.
Afterwards, when he returned to his Bromley home, he found police searching his property.
Vlad wasn't aware of any red flags before police raided his son's house last Tuesday.
"It was a big, horrible surprise for us," he said.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush earlier said police were investigating if Dubovskiy had any link to the March 15 Christchurch terror attacks but that there was currently "no evidence to suggest this".
"A high-priority investigation is under way to determine whether or not the deceased man posed a threat to the community," Bush said.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has been notified.
At the age of 35, Dubovskiy was found guilty by a jury at Christchurch District Court of aggravated burglary and unlawful possession of an imitation firearm.
He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment.
Dubovskiy had burgled a Russian couple he knew, court documents show.
When the pair returned to their home on October 22, 1999 they noticed signs of an intruder.
An armed and balaclava-clad Dubovskiy then confronted the Russians.
Dubovskiy pointed a replica Luger, a German pistol well-known for its use during World War II, at the man's head.
Believing the pistol to be real, the man grappled with Dubovskiy for the gun before escaping with his wife.
The AOS was alerted but it was not until two days later that Dubovskiy surrendered himself to police with the assistance of a friend and his father.
In his statement to police, Dubovskiy admitted he was the intruder but said he could not recall many aspects of the incident because he was drunk.
Dubovskiy has several other convictions, including firearms offences and assaulting a police officer, and was on bail at the time of the home invasion.
