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Murupara residents had welcomed patched Mongrel Mob members into their close-knit community to attend a funeral, but say the gang responded by killing an innocent youth for wearing the wrong coloured T-shirt.
Jordan Herewini died in his own backyard on Tuesday night after he was run over twice by his brother Mahu's truck, which witnesses say had been stolen by an out-of-town Mob member.
The 16-year-old had earlier been in a scuffle with visiting gang members over his yellow T-shirt, as the colour is associated with the local - rival - Tribesmen gang.
Detective Sergeant John Wilson of the Rotorua CIB would not confirm if the incident was gang-related, but said the killing "certainly has gang overtones".
Grieving Murupara residents yesterday paid tribute to Jordan, who was described as a hard-working teenager who dreamed of joining the Navy.
One neighbour said Jordan was at her house an hour before he died, playing cards with her 17-year-old son.
"They were laughing and having fun. His life was just getting started.
"We would always have him over for meals. He was talking to me about how happy he was, because he wanted to go into the Navy.
"It's very frightening what happened. We're all really sad about the boy, he was a nice boy."
Pem Bird, principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake O Tawhiuau, said Jordan was proud of his Maori heritage and was a member of the school's kapa haka group last year.
He had also recently completed a course on Mokoia Island, at Lake Rotorua, in the Maori martial art Mau Rakau. He was awarded the title Tamatoa which means "young expert".
Jordan left the school last year to attend Rangitahi College but had told Mr Bird he wanted to return this year after recently discovering his whakapapa (genealogy) in the area.
He knew his family came from the Te Whanau-a-Apanui iwi in Te Kaha but didn't know his ancestors also descended from the local Ngati Manawa iwi.
Jordan had also talked about farming next year after finding out the iwi owns land in the area.
Whanau at Rangitahi Marae were yesterday preparing a feast before the body was returned after an autopsy in Auckland. They were to stay with him overnight before he was taken to a marae in Te Kaha for the tangi.
