Teen charged over airgun death named

The Manurewa house where 18-year-old Shaun Townsley was fatally shot last month. Photo / Richard Robinson

The teenager accused of shooting and killing his friend with an airgun during a drinking session can be named for the first time.

Zhivargo Williams, 18, made a brief appearance at the Manukau District Court today.

Judge Jonathon Moses granted the man bail to an address in Huntly.

He also imposed conditions, including an overnight curfew. Williams is not allowed to use a firearm, drink alcohol or do drugs.

Judge Moses also forbade the man travelling to Auckland without the permission of the police.

The teenager is charged with the manslaughter of his friend Shaun Townsley who was shot dead on January 12 while he and friends were drinking in the backyard of a Manurewa home and shooting targets off a fence.

Police were called by the ambulance service, which rushed Mr Townsley to Middlemore Hospital, but he died soon after arrival.

At the time, Detective Inspector Dave Lynch said the death served as a "painful reminder" airguns were not toys and needed to be used "in a controlled environment by responsible people with appropriate target awareness and knowledge of their power".