What we know so far about the fatal shooting on Auckland’s Ponsonby Rd
Tuesday, 7 May 2024
With more questions than answers, mystery shrouds a homicide investigation in the heart of Auckland City. Katie Ham reports on what we know so far about the man found dead on the pavement of Ponsonby Rd.
It was a busier than usual night on Ponsonby Rd when gunshots rang through the crisp autumn air. With a day of uncharacteristically warm weather, punters had descended on the famous Auckland street to drink in the Sunday sun.
Come Monday morning, the usually thriving street was eerily quiet, with a police cordon sectioning off a large chunk of the central Auckland strip.
Here’s what we know so far about the incident that left a man dead on the pavement of Ponsonby Rd as an alleged gunman remains on the run.
What happened?
At 10.18pm on Sunday night, police were called to reports of a gun being fired on Ponsonby Rd.
They found a man lying dead on the pavement, prompting a homicide investigation to be launched. No arrests have been made yet.
Do you know more? Email newstips@stuff.co.nz
According to Detective Inspector Chris Barry, police continue “to build a picture of the events” that led to the fatal shooting.
Earlier on Sunday evening, a man tried to enter a bar on Ponsonby Rd, but was denied entry because it was closing, Barry said.
The man was then seen “lingering” on Ponsonby Rd, towards the Richmond Rd end.
At around 10.15pm, a group of four people - including the victim - got out of a parked car and walked in the man’s direction.
“Enquiries so far indicate multiple shots were discharged,” Barry said.
Police allege the man who was earlier denied entry to the local bar was the man who fired the shots.
He was then seen walking south on Ponsonby Rd, again in the direction of Richmond Rd, following the shooting.
On Monday morning, a specialist police search team could be seen 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.
Later, firefighters inside the cordon pulled an item from the awning of a shop near where the shooting happened.
While no arrests have been made yet, police have a simple message for the public: “You can be certain we will piece together why this shocking incident occurred.”
Who is the man police are looking for?
Police have released two images of a man they’re calling a “person of interest” in relation to their homicide investigation.
Stuff can reveal the man police are looking for is Auckland local, 31-year-old Hone Kay-Selwyn.
Police allege Selwyn pulled the gun from a small green side bag. An arrest warrant has been issued for Selwyn in relation to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
“Police have now identified the man as the offender and are urgently seeking information from the public to assist us with identifying him.
“We are now appealing for assistance from the public to identify him,” Barry said on Monday afternoon.
Selqyn is considered “extremely dangerous” and shouldn’t be approached by the public, he said.
“We would also like to remind anyone who may be assisting in concealing the man’s whereabouts could also find themselves being prosecuted.”
Who is the victim?
The man who was found fatally shot in Ponsonby has been remembered as a “very, very kind” kind person by a work colleague.
He was 33-year-old Robert Sidney Horne.
Horne’s family did not wish to comment when approached by Stuff on Tuesday, but a long-time colleague told Stuff he has a “good heart” that “a lot of people could take advantage of”.
“He was a very, very kind person. He has a big heart. When he wants to help you, when he wants to do something for you, it’s 100% or nothing. That summarizes Rob,” the colleague, who did not want to be named, said.
What else don’t we know about what happened?
With more questions than answers, there’s a lot still to be established about the incident that saw a central Auckland street grind to a halt.
What was the motivation behind the attack? Why was only one of the four people who got out of the car shot? Did the alleged shooter and the victim know one another? Were there gang affiliations at play or was this just a random attack?
Police are continuing to appeal for anyone with any information to come forward either by calling their 105 phone service, referencing file number 240506/9353, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Anyone who has CCTV or dash cam footage that may have captured what happened between 9.45pm and 10.45pm on Sunday night can upload it to an online police portal here.