Shooting accused caught

Armed police scoured the countryside after the shooting incident. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police this morning caught the man accused of shooting at two people and fleeing, leaving a dead body in his car.

The Herald understands members of the Armed Offenders Squad found the man at a golf course near Norsewood.

Police spokeswoman Annie Coughlan said she was unable to comment but that a press conference would be held at midday.

Police have been combing a 3000ha area of southern Hawkes Bay for Wanganui freezing worker David John Bourke, who they say opened fire at the police officer, then shot a farm hand in the shoulder.

The body of a middle-aged man, who hasn't been identified, was found on the back seat of Bourke's crashed Honda Rafaga on State Highway 2 north of Norsewood, between Waipukurau and Dannevirke, on Sunday afternoon.

A homicide inquiry was launched, and results of a post-mortem examination of the body are expected this morning.

Operations Manager, Inspector David White said police maintained their cordons in the Norsewood, Ormondville and Takapau areas overnight, believing Bourke was inside the cordon area.

"I would like to personally thank the local community who have been so supportive and generous bringing our staff at the cordons hot food and drinks. They have appreciated this as the weather has been atrocious at times."

Locals help

Ms Coughlan said the air temperature this morning was cold but the local community have made things easier.

"When its freezing cold and you're standing at a check point and someone brings you a hot coffee, it is gold," she said.

She said a gun shot believed to have been heard yesterday afternoon turned out to be a false alarm.

"We would rather have something that is not a gun shot, rather than something that is not reported," Ms Coughlan said.

She said anyone in the area who notices anything strange should call police.

Central Districts Commander Russell Gibson said armed police squads from throughout the lower North Island yesterday searched a 3000ha area between Norsewood, Ormandville and Takapau.

"This is a huge area we are working to clear," he said. "We are doing this as quickly as possible, but we are mindful this is a potentially dangerous situation and are treating it accordingly."

Officers spent yesterday clearing outhouses, barns and farmsheds on the chance that Bourke could be sheltering in them from the cold weather.

Police warned that Bourke should not be approached, and offered local farmers armed escorts if they need to check stock.

Items of Bourke's clothing had been found near a riverbank.

Shooting described

The fugitive shot at police on Sunday afternoon after fleeing them when he failed an alcohol breath test.

He then met farm hand Chad Hinga who drove over to him with his cousin.

Mr Hinga asked the man what he was doing and was told "shooting rabbits".

Mr Hinga told TVNZ's Close Up he was then shot in the shoulder, but didn't realise he'd been hit until he saw blood flowing from the wound.

"He looked quite normal, he just didn't want to be stopped."

His partner, Gemma, was hiding at home only 100m away with their one-month-old baby, Isaiah, and saw the shooting.

She locked the doors and remained silent as Bourke walked up the driveway and knocked on the door.

Brad Wells, 17, described the moment he saw his friend shot.

"I saw the guy pull the gun up and point it at him. He didn't shoot straight away...

"I saw the muzzle blast before I heard the shot. Chad and his cousin jumped back in the car and drove off."

After the shooting the gunman didn't run away, instead walking calmly towards the house, he said.

Armed police were guarding Bourke's house in Harper St, Gonville, where he is understood to have lived with his adult children.

It was being treated as a crime scene because police did not know where the middle-aged man died.

'Placid' man

Those who knew Bourke have said he was a "placid" man who came from a good family.

Trever Beamsley, who worked with Bourke at the Affco freezing works in Wanganui urged his friend to give himself up to authorities.

"It's never too late to stop more people getting hurt," he told The Dominion Post.

Bourke was a "placid, non-confrontational" person who lived with his father, Maurice and brother.

"If there's an argument he will just walk away," Mr Beamsley said.

"That's why this is all from left field for us."

Bourke's Wanganui neighbour John Jeffries told the paper Bourke was a "good person" and his actions were "completely out of character".

- With NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF