22 Jul 2021

Clendon Park shooting: 'It was close' - family run as gunmen target house

From Checkpoint, 5:14 pm on 22 July 2021

A south Auckland man says he is lucky to be alive after his family home was targeted in an early morning drive-by shooting.

Police have told Checkpoint their investigation will look at possible gang links.

The drive-by-style shooting is the latest in spate of gun-related crime in Auckland. Last week, a man was shot by officers after he went on a rampage, allegedly stealing cars and holding a gun to the head of two motorists.

A Māngere barbershop and bar in Manukau have also been shot up in recent weeks.

One of the occupants of the home targeted on Thursday's shooting told Checkpoint of the moment six gunshots were fired as his family slept.

Tuporo Maroroa says he his family ran for their lives as the bullets showered the front of his family's Palmers Rd home.

"About 4 o'clock, just heard, like, six gunshots, just firing at our house. We all just woke up and ran outside," he said.

Tuporo lives here with his father, brother and sister.

A spray of bullets left gaping holes in the front of their home and car windows, with shell shrapnel showering the family's letterbox.

"Everyone was just shocked," he said.

"I don't even know why this happened. Just out of the blue - never happened before - so everyone's just in shock." 

Tuporo is not certain who may have pulled the trigger, but believes the attempted theft of one of the family's motorbikes in recent weeks could be linked to the shooting.

One thing he does know is he is lucky he was not shot. He was fast asleep in a room at the front of the house that had its windows partially blown out.

"Right where the window is, is where my bed is," he said.

"So it was close ... just lucky nobody got hurt." 

Neighbours said shootings were far from common on the suburban main road.

They told Checkpoint it is a scare they do not need.

"You'd be shocked, especially if you're getting shot at," one neighbour said.

"[It] could take someone's life, all it takes is one moment, and you're gone. Of course you'd be shocked."

A neighbour living directly next door to the house that was targeted said she was scared.

"[It makes] me worried because I've got a young kid, I've got two children," she said.

"So, it's too scary ... too close to home. We don't want anything happening around us here - this is a quiet place."

A police spokesperson said officers have spoken with the family and support has been offered to them.

Possible gang links will form part of the investigation.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Counties-Manukau Police.