Shot prostitute may have been victim of 'payback'

Support worker Mama Tere says greater competition between prostitutes is causing problems. Picture / Dean Purcell

A 20-year-old South Auckland prostitute who was shot in the head may have been targeted for undercutting other street workers.

The woman was rushed to hospital early on Sunday after being shot, probably with a slug gun, while working at Hunters Corner in Papatoetoe.

While police say it is too early to know what prompted the drive-by crime, other prostitutes claim it was payback by an aggrieved colleague.

Community worker Mama Tere, who runs a support service that tries to get South Auckland prostitutes off the streets, said tensions had been growing since prostitution was legalised in 2003.

She said with more workers on the street there was greater possessiveness over territory. There were also problems with girls going against the "set rate" and undercutting each other on jobs.

Mama Tere said she had heard from several workers on the street that Sunday's shooting was retaliation for a recent instance of price undercutting.

Counties Manukau crime manager Detective Inspector Steve Rutherford said police were still investigating the shooting and events surrounding it.

He said they were not sure why it had happened. The victim had not seen it coming so there was no description of the shooter.

Two women were seen in a car at the time of the shooting but it is not known if they were involved.

Mr Rutherford said the injured woman heard a noise but did not realise she had been shot until a short time later.

"When it became obvious what happened a number of street workers got together and she was taken to Middlemore Hospital."

The woman was then transferred to Auckland Hospital where she remains in a stable condition. The pellet remains lodged in her brain and is unlikely to be removed. Her injury is not believed to be life-threatening.

Mama Tere said: "I knew something was going to go down. I didn't think a gun was going to be used, I just thought it would be an all-out brawl."

The shooting

Where: Corner of Hoteo and Great South Roads in Papatoetoe

When: About 2.30am on Sunday

Who: A 20-year-old prostitute shot in the head by an unknown person

Why: Possible payback for undercutting, or a battle over territory