Drive-by shooting — call for end to ‘gang warfare’

Published date01 March 2021
Publication titleNew Zealand Herald, The (Auckland, New Zealand)
The Thirsty Whale Bar owner Chris Sullivan said he and three other staff members were standing next to their co-worker when he was shot outside the nightclub around 12.30am yesterday.

More than 20 police officers — many armed — swarmed the area and found two people shot by what witnesses said was between three and five shots from a car.

It came minutes after a fist fight on the West Quay footpath and as roughly 20 others lined up to get inside the packed bar.

Sullivan said he heard the shots, then watched as his worker “just fell to the ground”.

“I’m still in shock after seeing an innocent friend and staff member just doing his job, working to support his family, shot outside the bar from the public wharf across the road because of gang warfare,” he said.

Police said five men in a vehicle drove up to the bar and fired shots at a group of people, who appeared to be known to them, standing outside.

“One of the men standing outside the bar sustained an injury to their hand and a bar staff member sustained an injury to their groin,” a police spokeswoman said.

A man in his 20s and a man in his 30s were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital with moderate to serious injuries. One remained in hospital yesterday afternoon.

The Thirsty Whale was shut for the night as a result.

Sullivan said while the police responded quickly, gang tensions in the city had reached boiling point and begun to draw in innocent parties, with immediate action needed.

“The Government needs to step up and protect the innocent public and not have the illusion this gang problem will just go away by itself.” He said there was a risk “more innocent people will be shot or killed”.

“Luckily, it happened on the street, so most patrons knew nothing until we closed.” Sullivan said the injured staff member had three hours of surgeries but was doing well.

Hawke’s Bay district commander superintendent Jeanette Park said the incident is believed to have stemmed from an earlier altercation between rival gangs.

In response, police had increased their presence and authorised the temporary carrying of firearms for staff across Hawke’s Bay — a decision which is reviewed daily, she said.

Park said incidents like...

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