Shooting of Matthew Hunt

Matthew Dennis Hunt was a New Zealand Police constable whose killing in Massey on 19 June 2020 drew significant national media coverage. Eli Epiha, a 24-year-old man has been charged with his murder while a 30-year-old woman, Natalie Bracken, has been charged as an accessory to his murder.[1][2][3] Hunt's death marked the first police fatality in the line of duty in New Zealand since 2009.[1][4]

Shooting of Matthew Hunt
LocationMassey, New Zealand
Date19 June 2020
Attack type
Shooting, murder, homicide
WeaponsFirearm
Deaths1 (Matthew Hunt)
Injured2
PerpetratorUnidentified

Matthew Dennis Hunt

Matthew Hunt was a 28-year-old constable born on 30 July 1991[5] who had served in the New Zealand Police for two and half years. He spent the majority of his time as a frontline officer at the Orewa and Helensville stations before transferring to the Waitematā Road Policing Team based at the Harbour Bridge Police Station.[6][7] When Hunt joined in October 2017 he joined as apart of Wing 312 trained at the Royal New Zealand Police College at Papakōwhai. He was raised by his mother alongside his sister in the Hibiscus Coast and attended Orewa College.[8] According to his family, Hunt's "life-long dream" was to be a police officer after studying criminology and working in prisons.[1][9]

Others involved
  • Eli Epiha, a 24-year-old man has been charged with murder, attempted murder and dangerous driving causing injury. He has been remanded into police custody and granted interim name suppression.[3][9]
  • Natalie Bracken, a 30-year-old woman who is facing driving charges and being an accessory to murder.[10][9]

The incident

On 19 June at 10:37am (NZST), Constable Matthew Hunt and a second police officer were shot after a car they had tried to pull over crashed on Reynella Drive in Massey, Auckland. Constable Hunt was killed during the shooting. His colleague was wounded and admitted to hospital. A member of the public was also injured by a vehicle during the incident.[2][3] According to Police, the suspect fled into a silver Mazda Demio following the shooting and later abandoned the vehicle.[1][3]

Manhunt and investigation

In response, the Police including members of the Armed Offenders Squad and Eagle helicopters launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and searched vehicles. Eight schools in Massey were also placed in lockdown including Massey High School and Don Buck Primary School. Armed police officers also guarded police stations.[4][3]

Several hours after the shooting, the Police stormed a home in Rena Place in Auckland's West Harbour. In addition, Police also arrested a fleeing driver on the Lincoln Road overbridge in the Northeast Motorway after using road spikes to stop his car. The police also spoke to two persons of interest. Later that night, a 24-year-old man was charged with murder, attempted murder and dangerous driving causing injury. The man briefly appeared in the Waitakere district court on 20 June where he was formally arraigned and remanded into custody until his next court appearance on 8 July.[3][9]

On 20 June, the Police announced that they were looking for a 30-year old woman named Natalie Bracken in relation to the shooting incident. She was charged with driving charges and as an accessory to the murder.[9] Later that day, the Police took Bracken into custody in West Auckland and confirmed that she was assisting police inquiries.[11][10]

Aftermath

In response to the shooting, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster stated that "the incident points to the real risk that our officers face as they go about their jobs every day." He confirmed that police officers were not armed at the time and reiterated his commitment to an unarmed police force.[1]

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern offered her condolences in Parliament, but not directly to Constable Hunt's family, stating that "our police officers work hard every day to keep us and our communities safe."[1][12] Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters stated that "Police Lives Matter" during his tribute to Hunt. National Member of Parliament Mark Mitchell read a tribute from Hunt's mother and recounted an incident in which Hunt convinced a knife-wielding offender to lower his weapon. Greens co-leader Jame Shaw also paid tribute to Hunt, stating that it was a "heartbreaking reminder" that a police officer's life could be taken at any moment.[12][13]

On 20 June, the Sky Tower in Auckland lit up in Police blue colours in honour of the death of Hunt.[14][15][16]

On 22 June, it was reported that two relatives of Hunt, who had traveled from Australia to attend his funeral, had expressed frustration that they had to undergo quarantine in Rotorua as they wanted all relatives that had travelled from overseas to quarantine together for two weeks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.[17] On 22 June, the Government granted permission for family members of Hunt, traveling from overseas, to quarantine together in Auckland.[18]

On 26 June, Police officers across the country held a minute of silence in honour of Hunt. 100 police officers gathered in Auckland's Aotea Square to pay tribute to their comrade. Hunt's sister, father, uncle and aunt watched from their hotel rooms above, whilst in quarantine. [19][20]

On 9 July, Hunt's funeral was held, and on that night, the Auckland Sky Tower lit up in varying colours of blue to mark his funeral.[21][22]

References
  1. "New Zealand police shooting: Man charged with murder after hunt". BBC News. 20 June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  2. "'There is no higher price' – police pay tribute to slain officer Matthew Hunt". Radio New Zealand. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. Leask, Anna (20 June 2020). "'Gunned down and slaughtered' – Police officer killed, another wounded by gunman in West Auckland". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  4. "As it happened: Police officer shot dead in West Auckland". Radio New Zealand. 19 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  5. Funeral service for slain Auckland police officer Matthew Hunt, retrieved 10 July 2020
  6. "Massey, west Auckland shooting: Offender still on the loose, police officer confirmed dead - Police Commissioner". Newshub. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  7. "Police name officer killed in Massey shooting as Constable Matthew Hunt". TVNZ. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  8. [email protected], Chelsea Boyle Reporter, NZ Herald (19 June 2020). "Slain police officer in west Auckland named as Constable Matthew Dennis Hunt". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  9. "Auckland shooting accused appears in court as police search for second suspect". The Guardian. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  10. "Woman arrested over fatal West Auckland shooting of police officer". 1 News. 20 June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  11. "UPDATE: Police locate Natalie Bracken". New Zealand Police. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  12. Devlin, Collette (24 June 2020). "Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters tells Parliament 'police lives matter' after death of Constable Matthew Hunt". Stuff. Archived from the original on 24 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  13. Sadler, Rachel (23 June 2020). "National MP Mark Mitchell reads emotional tribute to Constable Matthew Hunt". Newshub. Archived from the original on 24 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  14. "Auckland police shooting: Sky Tower turns blue to honour slain police officer Matthew Hunt". Stuff. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  15. "Police shooting: Sky Tower lights up in blue to honour Constable Matthew Hunt". NZ Herald. 21 June 2020. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  16. "Sky Tower bright blue to honour fallen police officer Matthew Hunt". Newshub. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  17. "Frustration as Matthew Hunt's family quarantined in Rotorua". New Zealand Herald. 22 June 2020. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  18. "Family of slain police officer Matthew Hunt granted permission to isolate together in Auckland". 1 News. 24 June 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  19. Earley, Melanie; Woolf, Amber-Leigh; Tokalau-Chandra, Torika (26 June 2020). "Auckland police shooting: Officers across country pay tribute to Matthew Hunt". Stuff. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  20. "Police across NZ honour fallen officer Constable Matthew Hunt with minute's silence". 1 News. 26 June 2020. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  21. "Watch: Sky Tower lights up police blue to mark funeral of Constable Matthew Hunt". TVNZ. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  22. "Auckland police shooting: Sky Tower to light up for Matthew Hunt's funeral". Stuff. 5 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.

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