The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has ruled that a police officer was justified in shooting a man who attempted to carjack vehicles at gunpoint after fleeing from police in Auckland on 27 September 2023.
The incident began when police located a stolen vehicle at a West Auckland petrol station that had been used in an aggravated robbery the previous night. Officers blocked in the vehicle, but the driver rammed other cars to escape and led police on a slow-speed pursuit along the Northwestern Motorway, with the Eagle helicopter monitoring from above.
At the top of the Lincoln Road exit, the man abandoned the stolen car and brandished a black, long-barrelled firearm. He approached stationary vehicles on the overbridge, pointing the weapon at one driver and trying to smash another car’s window with the butt of the gun. When he turned and raised the firearm towards an officer following on foot, the officer took cover and ordered him to drop the weapon.
Instead, the man ran toward a truck, opened the passenger door, and pointed the firearm at the driver while yelling for him to get out. As the truck driver scrambled to escape, the officer fired five shots through the windscreen, hitting the man twice in the back. The offender surrendered and was taken to hospital for surgery.
The IPCA’s investigation reviewed footage from traffic cameras, dashcams, and the police helicopter. It found that police maintained proper command and control throughout the ten-minute incident, and that the pursuit complied with operational policy.
The Authority concluded the officer was justified in using lethal force, as the man posed an imminent threat of death or serious harm to others. His actions were deemed reasonable and proportionate under the circumstances.
The IPCA completed its report in May 2024 but delayed its release until after related court proceedings concluded in September 2025.
Should have been fatal
Why should we have to look after this muck