Two Black Power members charged with Whanganui murder of Kevin Ratana

Kevin Ratana was shot dead outside his Whanganui home on August 21.

Two senior Black Power members have been arrested for the murder of Whanganui man Kevin Ratana.

Ratana, a member of the rival Mongrel Mob gang, was shot outside his home on August 21 while leaving to go to the gym.

Two more shots were fired inside the house where adults and children were hiding.
Detective Senior Sergeant Philip Skoglund said today that the two men charged were senior, patched Black Power gang members.

A 38-year-old man is due to appear in Whanganui District Court today and a 31-year-old man will appear in Lower Hutt District Court this afternoon.

Police expected to make more arrests in the coming days.

"We would like to thank the Whanganui community for their courage and fortitude in standing against gang violence," Skoglund said.

"Police continue to seek assistance from the public in relation to the movements of five men who walked to Kevin's address on the morning of 21 August."

Twelve people were already facing several charges as a result of the homicide inquiry, including threatening to kill, unlawful possession of ammunition and participation in an organised crime group.

Police carried out a hefty raid on several Whanganui homes on August 27.

The names of those 12 men were suppressed last month but suppression is to be reconsidered on November 30 when they are due to reappear in court.

Ratana's funeral was held on August 27 and attracted an increased police presence in Whanganui, including the eye-in-the-sky Eagle helicopter, as gang numbers in the city swelled to more than 100.

Mongrel Mob members, family and friends mourned Kevin Ratana at a tangi on the River Rd in Parikino.

A tribute to Kevin Ratana tagged on a bus shelter in the Whanganui suburb of Aramoho.

As Ratana's tangi was under way, police carried out a hefty raid on several Black Power houses around the corner from Puriri St, making a number of arrests and seizing guns.

Two weeks later Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Baskett said the inquiry had made "significant progress" but issued a public plea for information.

"… we know that there are people who have information and have not yet spoken to us. We believe those people are likely to have critical evidence relating to Kevin's death," he said at the time.