The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a Bay of Plenty officer was justified in firing his pistol in self-defence on 24 January 2025.
On two separate occasions in January 2025, a Rotorua man intentionally rammed his Hyundai car into Police patrol vehicles. The Hyundai was also involved in petrol thefts. Police were seeking the man to arrest him.
At about 4.40pm on 24 January 2025, the man, wearing a balaclava and armed with a tyre iron, committed an aggravated robbery of a shop on the outskirts of Rotorua then left in the Hyundai. Police began searching the area for him.
Just after 5.00pm, the man was located driving the Hyundai on a nearby rural road. A short pursuit took place, but this was abandoned due to the risks involved. Police continued patrolling and planned to use road spikes if possible.
Over the next hour and 50 minutes, officers saw the Hyundai several times. During this time the man rammed one Police vehicle and attempted to strike another. Road spikes were used on the Hyundai, but only a rear tyre was damaged.
At about 6.53pm, the man drove down a dead-end forestry road with another officer following. The man came across a locked gate. He turned the Hyundai around and drove into the front side area of the officer's patrol car, then sped away. The officer realised his patrol car was damaged but managed to turn it around while requesting assistance.
Instead of continuing to flee, the man then stopped and began reversing the Hyundai into the officer's car. The officer feared the man was going to either kill him or cause him serious bodily harm. He fired his Glock pistol 14 times at the approaching Hyundai, stopping firing when the Hyundai struck his vehicle. The man had laid down in the front of the Hyundai and was not injured. The circumstances of this are described in full within our report available on the IPCA website.
We accept the officer had limited options and that he genuinely believed his life was in danger. The use of the firearm in these circumstances was justified.
