An armed police officer guarding the scene of a shooting in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae. Photo: RNZ / Bill Hickman
Those who live near where a man was shot and killed in Lower Hutt say while newcomers to Naenae might be fearful, long time residents are taking it with a grain of salt.
Wellington police ended their order for officers to carry guns around the region after the shooting happened on Seddon Street on Tuesday.
But armed police remain on site of the property where the killing happened.
The victim was believed to be Albert Enoka, who was reportedly a member of the Tribesmen gang and a former president of the Rebels Motorcycle Club's Christchurch chapter.
Earlier there were five police cars on scene, with forensics combing for evidence at the back of the property.
Police are still on the hunt for a large man in his 30s with full face tattoos.
The man was wearing dark clothing and had at least two associates with him, police said.
In a statement, Detective Inspector Haley Ryan said the investigation into the shooting was progressing thanks to an influx of information from the public.
Police believed the offender fled the scene in a black Mercedes saloon vehicle, registration KRP453, she said.
The car was located that day in Judd Crescent, a short distance from Seddon Street.
Ryan said police want to establish where the Mercedes was prior to and immediately after the incident.
Police want to hear from anyone with street-front CCTV cameras or dashcams that were travelling through Naenae on Tuesday, she said.
"We would also like to hear from anyone who has seen the car previously including days leading up to this incident or had any recent concerns about behaviour around Seddon Street, Judd Street, or Wood Street."
There was a real sense of unease in the Lower Hutt community as the manhunt continued, Labour's police spokesperson Ginny Anderson told Midday Report, but the risk to the general public appeared to be low.
Albert Enoka . Photo: Supplied
"We know that a brief verbal altercation took place between the victim and the alleged offender before the shooting occurred so it does indicate that it is contained to that group and that does give police reason to believe there is less of a risk to the general public."
Hutt City Eastern Ward councillor Andy Mitchell agreed and said while it was a shock to the community, they should not feel unsafe.
"I think that general Naenae people, hopefully aren't too concerned about their own safety and realise this does seem to have been an isolated incident that just happens to have taken place in our neighbourhood instead of another one."
Vera Karataua from Kokiri Marae said she knew the two people involved were gang members, but said it stayed in that circle and did not impact the rest of the town.
"They deal with it themselves, and yet they're sorry that it happened, but that's something that they take out and don't involve our community," Karataua said.
Nickolas Boyd who has lived in the community all his life said it was "business as usual" for residents who have lived in the area a while.
"Some people that just moved to this community recently, they're probably a bit frightened and scared but those that have been here for over 10 years, I think we're pretty much used to it aye. It's just kind of every day life. It is a bit scary but yeah you've just got to move on."
He said although he wanted police to catch the shooter right away, he recognised police needed time to do their procedures.
Seddon Street resident Donna Murphy, who lived close to where the shooting happened, said knowing the shooter was still on the loose had not stopped her going about her daily life.
But she admitted seeing armed police down her street was unsettling.
"It's a concern to know there's guns out there... seen the police gun, and when I talked to the police lady on how terrifying her weapon was, even she thought so and we've got people on our street with those."
She said the shooting was embarrassing after the new pools in the community had just opened which had brought in visitors from outside of Naenae.
Pakira Tapiki had only lived in Naenae for a few months and agreed he was scared both at the police response in the streets and how the gunman still had not been found.
He was now looking forward to moving out of the area after the shooting happened close to his property on Judd Crescent.
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