Police cleared after 14 shots fired at robber
A watchdog ruled the officer acted in self-defence after a suspect reversed a vehicle toward him on a dead-end road in Rotorua.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
For the police officer involved, the ruling means he can return to duty without the shadow of misconduct hanging over the incident. The Independent Police Conduct Authority concluded on Tuesday that his use of force was justified during a high-speed pursuit in the Rotorua area.
The incident began when a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a tyre iron robbed a shop on the city’s outskirts. Police located him on a rural road twenty minutes later but initially paused the chase to protect nearby residents. The pursuit resumed after the suspect rammed a police vehicle and fled.
The situation intensified when the robber drove down a dead-end forestry road. Instead of stopping, he turned the vehicle around and rammed the police car again. He then stopped and reversed directly toward the officer, who fired his pistol fourteen times.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Will Loughrin stated the officer feared for his safety as the suspect used the vehicle as a weapon. Loughrin described the escalation as rapid, noting the offender’s intent to cause harm to police staff. He added that the shooting allowed the officer to reach safety and end the dangerous confrontation.
The IPA report confirmed the officer’s actions were consistent with self-defence protocols. While the commander emphasized the need for officers to return home safely to their loved ones, the specific outcome for the suspect provides a distinct contrast to the severity of the response.
The robber emerged from the encounter uninjured. The case highlights the tactical decisions required when a suspect weaponizes a vehicle in a confined space, though the IPA report focuses strictly on the officer’s conduct rather than the subsequent handling of the suspect.
