The gunman Matu Tangi Matua Reid. Photo: Facebook / TYLA Youth Development Trust
Police were justified in shooting at a man who killed two people at a construction site in Auckland, the police watchdog says.
The gunman, Matu Tangi Matua Reid, who was 24, died during the shooting at a construction site on Queen Street in July 2023.
Reid killed two colleagues, Wattle Downs resident Tupuga Sipiliano, 44, and Manurewa resident Solomona To'oto'o, 45, and injured a number of others.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority released the findings of police's critical incident investigation into Reid's death on Thursday.
The findings go into detail about what happened on the day.
About 7.15am on July 20 2023, Reid entered the construction site armed with a shotgun.
After entering he went to the third floor of the construction site where his colleagues were meeting.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"He shot and killed two colleagues and injured a number of others. He then entered an internal stairwell and made his way up the building.
"When Mr Reid was approaching the 17th floor, he shot and wounded a construction worker running away from him," the IPCA report said.
At 7.23am, police started getting calls from members of the public reporting there was an active shooter. There were 373 construction workers on site.
Armed police officers, including members of the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) and Special Tactics Group (STG) responded.
A team of constables and their sergeant were first to arrive and entered the building.
Construction workers who were going down the stairs told the officers that Reid was on the upper levels, around level 19.
"The officers, in single file, went up the stairs. When they neared level 19, the officer at the front called out to Mr Reid, telling him to surrender.
"Mr Reid appeared from higher up in the stairwell and shot at the officer, narrowly missing him.
"The officer fired five shots in the direction of Mr Reid. The shots missed Mr Reid who made his way further up the building."
Reid then went into a partially constructed lift shift.
The building had four lift shafts, each secured with a plywood door.
Tupuga Sipiliano was tragically killed in the 2023 Auckland shooting. Photo: Facebook
"AOS and STG officers positioned themselves outside the lift shafts on Levels 18, 19 and 20.
"Officers on Level 20 talked to Mr Reid from outside the lift shaft and told him to surrender. The officers believed Mr Reid was in one of the lift shafts on the 19th floor."
About 8.05am, officers on level 18 entered the lift shaft, and "unexpectedly encountered" Reid who fired two shots, hitting two officers and seriously wounding one of them.
Other officers dragged the two officers to safety.
"Officers continued to instruct Mr Reid to surrender. Mr Reid raised his firearm and fired one shot. Officers fired at Mr Reid and one round struck him in the forearm.
"Mr Reid died at the scene from what was later established to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound."
The report said the police investigation found the officers were justified in shooting at Reid because they feared for their lives and the lives of other officers present.
"The Authority considers that Police conducted a thorough investigation and agrees with its findings and outcome.
"The Authority acknowledges the bravery of the Police officers involved."
Auckland City district commander, acting superintendent Sunny Patel, said police acknowledged the findings and noted it was a day fresh in the memory of many officers.
"These findings acknowledge the bravery and courageous actions of our frontline, Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group that responded to 1 Queen Street, as reports of an active armed offender unfolded."
He said they also "acknowledge the families of Solomona Tootoo and Tupuga Sipiliano."
"These two men went to work and lost their lives in devastating circumstances," he said.
Patel added one of the wounded officers was still working through his recovery nearly two years on.
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