Shooter had firearms licence

BY CLIO FRANCIS

The 42-year-old paraplegic man killed during a shoot-out with police in the Christchurch suburb of Burnside was a licensed firearms holder.

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Shayne Sime's body was removed from the scene this afternoon but police caution their investigation is likely to be lengthy.

A post mortem on Sime will start this evening and continue into tomorrow.

Detective Superintendent Brett Kane said that Sime had been a licensed firearms holder since 2006, which gave him a licence to Category A firearms (sporting shotguns and rifles).

"He belonged to a gun club. He had a shot gun and a high calibre fire weapon," Mr Kane said.

He said an examination of Sime's house had not yet been started so it was not known if there were any other weapons.

A report that police had previously been called to the address over a firearms incident had been clarified, Mr Kane said.

"In February this year a neighbour reported shots, this was investigated and Sime was found to be firing his son's bb gun at a cardboard box. No offence was established."

Police said cordons remained in place and about 40 residents evacuated from their homes were not likely to be allowed back to their homes for a day or two.

"We are mindful this will be disruptive but we will be working thoroughly," Kane said.

He said the police officer shot in the incident had minor surgery this afternoon to remove pellets from his face and would make a full recovery.

A neighbour blasted with shotgun pellets from his shoulder to his groin was also in a stable condition.

Police had not yet interviewed the man who had been standing near his front door and escaped over a rear fence.

The sequence of events was yet to be confirmed but police said they were called around 8pm and the armed offenders squad set up a cordon around 8.20pm.

Kane said negotiations were started and continued for about two hours.

"There was indiscriminate shooting throughout the event. The number of shots will be confirmed from the investigation however a neighbour counted at least 82 shots.

"Shots were fired from the front and rear of the property and Sime showed some agility," Mr Kane said.

"This was a very dangerous situation. There was extensive damage to a neighbouring house and there is large amount of wadding on the lawn."

Mr Kane said Mr Sime appeared to have lived alone.

He was a member of the New Zealand Handloaders Association and one of his former clubmates described him as a "reasonable sort of fellow".

Committee member and shotgun convenor Bruce Adams said Mr Sime joined the association about four months ago and would shoot every week on the Christchurch club's shotgun range until the last three weeks.

"He stopped coming. I thought it might have been because of the cold, because it's damn cold out there (on the range) and that might have kept him away," Mr Adams said.

"He seemed to be a reasonable sort of fellow. But he didn't talk to people much at all. He'd just say gidday and then sit back and not make much conversation.

"We didn't know about his background at all."

Sime wasn't a good marksman because he suffered from muscular dystrophy and was restricted to his wheelchair, Mr Adams said.

"Out of 10 (clay) targets, he might hit four or something like that.

"He used to enjoy himself and was never disappointed (with his shooting), but he never made friends easily."

NEIGHBOURHOOD SIEGE

The unrest began last night about 4.30pm, said the neighbour.

"We heard a bang, a big bang, the floor shook."

The software developer and his flatmate thought something had fallen inside their own home but when the shots resumed about 7pm they realised it was gunfire. He said the bangs came in sporadic bursts of three to six shots every 10 minutes.

At 9pm the neighbours were rung and told to stay inside and keep low, but within half an hour were then told to leave through their back door. They were sent to Burnside High's Aurora Centre where about 26 people stayed the night.

Police northern area commander Inspector Dave Lawry said Sime fired more than 100 rounds of both shotgun pellets and .308 rifle cartridges into houses in the cul-de-sac where he lived.

"He contacted family yesterday saying he was suicidal and also made threats to police when they contacted him."

It is believed Sime had been drinking.

The armed offenders squad cordoned off an inner area after the neighbour was shot.

After that an AOS member was shot. He had pellet wounds to his head but they were not life-threatening.

The AOS returned fire and shot Sime dead, Lawry said.

He was fatally shot shortly after 10pm, police and paramedics confirmed.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority had been notified.

Police and members of the AOS set up cordons along Greers Rd after shotgun blasts were discharged in Wadhurst Place.

The incident began about 7.45pm in the predominantly state-housing neighbourhood.

Shortly before midnight there were signs that the siege was over, with AOS members starting to leave the area.

Russell Keely, whose wife Diane lived next door to Sime, said his wife started hearing shots about 7.45pm.

She called police and was told to stay in her kitchen and keep below window-level.

She said she heard about 40 shots in total before being evacuated.

"She was a bit frightened," Keely said.

- with The Press and NZPA

 

- © Fairfax NZ News