The man shot and killed in Coromandel was a father of five and his grieving mother has paid tribute to her “ratbag, free-spirited” son.
Kevin Mabbott, 41, died after being shot on the remote 309 Rd between Coromandel Town and Whitianga on Coromandel Peninsula on Friday.
Mabbott’s family are heartbroken, his mother, Jane Mabbott, said.
“Rest in peace and love, our son... Your two sisters, numerous cousins, aunties, uncles, friends and five sons,” she wrote on Facebook.
“A needless end to your vibrant, lovable, crazy, ratbag, free-spirited self.
“He will be arriving home on Monday morning; We are keeping this day and Tuesday for family only,” Jane said in another post.
“We invite anyone who would like to come and see Kevin on Wednesday 18th December from 9-1pm.
“It will be an informal gathering to share and celebrate his life.”
Another person - also believed to be male - was flown to Auckland City Hospital with gunshot wounds after Friday afternoon’s incident.
The injured man remains in a serious condition in hospital this morning and a post-mortem examination on the deceased victim would take place today, police said.
A man, 77, has been charged with murder and attempted murder, granted name suppression and remanded in custody.
He appeared in the Hamilton District Court Saturday morning.
The owner of nearby tourist attraction Waterworks told the Herald a person ran onto his property about 2pm on Friday saying someone was lying on the ground near the road.
The person was “shot in the chest” and was pronounced dead at the scene, said the man, who asked to only be known as Jeff.
“I ran out with my first aid kit and put him into the recovery position ... I gave him CPR for 15 minutes before the Westpac helicopters arrived.”
A second person, who he believed had been shot in the shoulder, was lying on the ground nearby.
It appeared the victims had been pig hunting, Jeff said.
“There was a pig on the back of [the deceased’s] ute, and it looked like he was in the process of butchering it.
“It appeared he had tried to move away from the vehicle, but I found him lying on the ground beside his ute.”
The dead man appeared to be about 30 years old, he said.
“The other person wasn’t in the vicinity where I was, but I understand he was younger.”
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SH26 between Thames and Paeroa is to close for a month for a bridge build.