KEY POINTS:
Police responding to a suspected attempted murder-suicide in a Gisborne house yesterday found a four-year-old girl outside.
A woman with gunshot injuries to her hands and chest was undergoing surgery last night in Gisborne Hospital after being shot about 9.30am in her Temple St home.
Her former partner was found shot dead at the house.
The incident sparked one of two homicide investigations launched in Gisborne yesterday.
Police called to a Buchanan St house at 11.30am found two people with serious injuries.
A man 42, and a woman, 36, died at the scene.
Police this morning released the names of two of the people who died yesterday.
In the Temple St incident the dead man was Walter Teamaru Tuhi, 30, of Mahia. In the Buchanan St incident the woman was Maureen Te Morehu Matete-Walker, 36.
Detective Sergeant Kevin Ford said that when police arrived at the Temple St house they found the girl uninjured. "She wasn't in the house and police had to kick the back door in to gain entry."
The girl was now being cared for by relatives.
Mr Ford said the injured woman was in a critical condition.
"We believe it's an attempted murder-suicide," he said.
"They've been in a relationship for about the last six months but they have previously been in a relationship as well."
The man did not live at the house.
In the Buchanan St incident, acting area commander Senior Sergeant Moera Brown said police had initially been called to a report of disorder.
Police also had to force their way into the house and found the man and woman in a bedroom with serious injuries including stab wounds.
"It would appear they had some injuries from stabbing but we're unable to say how they were stabbed," Ms Brown told National Radio.
She believed the pair had previously been in a relationship.
Mr Ford said police were not looking for anyone else in connection with either incident.
In both cases the alarm was raised by neighbours.
There was no link between the incidents.
- NZPA
