Police release image of suspected Ponsonby Rd shooter
Monday, 6 May 2024
A man was found dead on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road on Sunday night after reports of a firearm being discharged.
Police said the offender was denied entry from a bar that was about to close before he shot at a group exiting from a vehicle.
A picture of the man, of large build, with facial hair and a large tattoo on his left forearm, has been released.
A section of the busy Auckland strip was closed between Richmond Rd and Franklin Rd on Monday.
The man who police believe shot a person dead on a central Auckland street had minutes earlier been denied entry to a bar.
Police launched a homicide inquiry after the body was found on a footpath on Sunday night on Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, following reports of a firearm being discharged.
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Speaking to media on Monday afternoon, Detective Inspector Chris Barry shared images and gave details of the person police believe was involved in the shooting.
Emergency services first responded to reports of a firearm being discharged on Ponsonby Rd at 10.18pm on Sunday.
Barry said the man was denied entry from the bar on Ponsonby Rd because it was about to close.
He then walked further south towards Richmond Rd, where a group of four people had just exited a vehicle.
It was minutes later when one of those people was shot dead by the offender, who was described as of large build, with facial hair and a large tattoo on his left forearm.
The CCTV photos released by police show the man wearing a long sleeve shirt with stripes across the chest, black pants, and white trainers.
He had a watch on his left wrist, a bracelet on his right and is wearing a crossbody bag.
Multiple shots were fired and police believe the gun had been concealed in the man’s side bag.
The police were immediately called, but when officers arrived the man was deceased.
Barry was unable to comment on whether the incident was gang related.
Barry said officers were appealing to the public for any information about the man, and from people who knew him.
“We are just looking for that member of the public that knows who this man is, to pick up the phone.”
The man was seen walking south again on Ponsonby Rd, towards Richmond Rd, following the shooting.
The man was extremely dangerous and should not be approached, he said. If seen, people should immediately call 111.
Barry reminded anyone that might be helping to conceal the man’s identity, that they too could be prosecuted.
He knew the community was concerned, as the man had not yet been arrested, but reassured the public a dedicated team was working to hold this person to account.
Shortly before 10.30am, a specialist search team had arrived and began to search outside of the police cordon.
A team of six specialist police officers began combing the ground step by step looking for an unknown item - checking in plant pots, in the gutter and on the facades of local businesses.
Barry said the cordon was likely to lift on Monday afternoon but an increased police presence would remain.
Owner of Rollo’s Goods & Coffee, Emma Rolston, earlier told Stuff the morning had been “hectic”.
“I woke up to messages from my family and friends and realised it had happened right by the shop,” Rolston said.
She’d contacted her employees first thing to tell them not to come in, but was waiting to see whether the cordon lifted as to whether she opened the shop later in the day.
“It’s a disruption to our business, but obviously someone’s lost their life.
“We’re probably going to end up staying shut for the rest of the day to pay our respects to whoever passed away,” she said.
She added that it was “freaky” to have the death happen so close.
“It’s kind of scary. It wasn’t even that late at night.”
Another local business owner described the incident as “shocking and scary”.
She said that when she came in at 6.15am, a police officer initially told her she couldn’t open.
“The police officer talked to their senior and eventually let me in.
“Ponsonby is a posh area - you’d usually see lots of people walking up and down in the morning,” she said.
An Australian man who was staying in an AirBnB on Ponsonby Rd said after 10pm he heard a pop.
“I thought it was fireworks - I went over to the window looking towards the city but couldn’t see anything,” he said.