Stokes Valley homicide: Rawiri Zane Wharerau named as man shot dead at birthday party

The person killed in a shooting at a Lower Hutt birthday party in the early hours of Saturday morning was Rawiri Zane Wharerau.

The 39-year-old lived at the George Street house where the shooting took place and was found by police lying at the front of his home, surrounded by people trying to resuscitate him.

His brother was also shot during the incident and remains in critical condition in hospital.

At a press conference in Lower Hutt this afternoon, Detective Inspector Hayley Ryan confirmed Rawiri was a patched member of Mangu Kaha, a gang associated with Black Power.

Ryan said, as part of the birthday celebration, an incident occurred and spilled out onto the street, leading to the shooting. The birthday party was for a family member’s 50th.

Ryan said police were looking into the presence of people at the party, including other Mangu Kaha gang members, and urged them to “speak with police sooner rather than later”.

Detective Inspector Haley Ryan updates media on the fatal birthday party shooting. Photo / Georgina Campbell

Police are also appealing to anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the road in the early hours of the morning around the time of the incident.

”Our team remains committed to locating the person or persons responsible,” she said.

Ryan said partygoers were now grieving family and friends.

”They’re going through a process but I do ask they speak to us sooner rather than later.”

Despite the presence of gang members, Ryan said it was not a gang-related incident. ”This was at a birthday celebration.”

The shootings happened at a 50th birthday party in Stokes Valley last weekend. Photo / Georgina Campbell

Police were “not at all worried” about gang retaliation.

”There is no ongoing threat but we are doing reassurance patrols.”

There could also be handheld camera footage of the incident, she said.

“Those people at that party in that altercation will know what has happened.”

Police were called to the property on George St shortly after 2am last Saturday.

A dozen people were gathered at the cordon on Saturday afternoon, with some putting their arms around one another for comfort. Some of those standing outside were wearing Mangu Kaha jackets - a splinter group of Black Power.

Police are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the road around the time of the shooting. Photo / Georgina Campbell

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by phoning 105 or visiting 105.police.govt.nz and using “Update Report”, citing file reference number 231216/6245. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Homes in the immediate area are predominantly owned by Kāinga Ora, which had since carried out welfare checks for residents in the area, some of whom could be seen visibly distressed in their front yards after the shooting.

Huck Haeata moved into one of the Kāinga Ora homes on the street earlier this year and was awake at the time of the incident.

She said she heard a loud and powerful boom.

”The cat looked at me and I was like: ‘What was that?’ I’ve never heard that before. ”That stopped me and my cat in our tracks.”

Haeata said she didn’t realise what had happened until the next morning.

”It’s shocking when you know that, in that moment, last night, someone’s life was taken. I heard someone’s life [being] taken.”

Hutt South MP Chris Bishop said at the time that he felt for residents. ”It’s more awful and unsettling news for the Hutt,” Bishop said.

The shooting came less than a month after the Hutt Valley community was left reeling following two deadly incidents in 24 hours.

The first incident occurred in the early hours of November 16 when a woman was killed in a hit-and-run on Naenae Rd. Later that day, police shot and killed a man who was involved in a domestic dispute with a woman on Coast Rd in Wainuiomata.

Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigation into the death of toddler Ruthless-Empire, who is believed to have suffered fatal blunt-force trauma in the Lower Hutt suburb of Taitā.

Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.