Police vehicles parked outside the Kaka St house on Wednesday. PHOTO/GIANINA SCHWANECKE
Police arrest gang member
Police are investigating a gang-related shooting incident in Masterton, after finding bullet holes in a Kaka St house, GIANINA SCHWANECKE reports.
Police received reports of possible gunshots on Sunday night near Herbert St at about 7.45pm and during a follow-up visit at a nearby Kaka St home, they found several bullet holes in the wooden wall of the house.
While there were several people in the property at the time of the shooting, no one was injured, Detective Senior Sergeant Barry Bysouth said.
“The shooting of the address in Kaka St is gang related and we believe this was a deliberately targeted attack,” he said.
“Everyone should be safe in their homes and this type of activity must not be tolerated by any of us.”
He said police responded to the Sunday night calls by canvassing a wide area, which included the Kaka St home which can be accessed from Herbert St by a walkway on Kereru Pl.
The occupants of this home did not report hearing any shots and no other information was made available to police at that time to confirm the noises heard by the callers were in fact gunshots, he said.
“Following up on this report, over Monday and Tuesday this week, police revisited the same residential address in Kaka St in daylight and it became apparent that a number of holes in the wooden wall of the home were in fact gunshot damage.”
An ESR [Institute of Environmental Science and Research] firearm specialist was called in on Wednesday to examine the scene and determine the type of weapon which was used to fire the shots.
They confirmed the damage was caused by a gun being fired at the house and was the likely source of the bangs heard on Sunday night.
As part of an investigation into the shooting, police executed a search warrant at an Oxford St property, at the north end of Masterton on Wednesday morning.
A 41-year-old gang member was arrested in relation to this after drugs were found at the property, however, police no longer think the property is linked to the shooting incident.
The man was remanded in custody by the Masterton District Court.
Bysouth said the investigation was continuing and police were following strong potential leads.
- He asked that anyone with information contact Wairarapa Police, phone police line 105, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting file reference 200722/0492.
