A man shot dead after an armed police stand-off this week was "in a bad place" but did not want to hurt anyone, his cousin says.
Pera Ariki Smiler was killed after brandishing his rifle in Upper Hutt, Wellington on Tuesday.
His Auckland-based cousin Dylan Smiler believed the 25-year-old wanted police to kill him.
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He told Radio New Zealand his cousin was "in a bad place" but did not want to hurt anyone.