1 May 2013

Palmerston North houses searched after shooting

5:53 pm on 1 May 2013

Armed police have been searching houses in Palmerston North after two houses were shot at on Tuesday night.

It is in the same suburb where a Black Power prospect died a decade ago and locals say it's likely the cause is a turf dispute between individual gang members that has been simmering for months.

Members of the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) on Wednesday executed search warrants at houses in Farnham Avenue in the suburb of Highbury near the properties shot at.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said one of the houses shot at was occupied at the time of the incident at 10.30pm, but no one was hurt.

An eyewitness said he watched police break down the door of a house near his home just after 1pm and shout at the occupants to come down. Armed police left after 15 minutes.

The weapon used in the shooting is thought to be a rifle, but a scene examination will continue on Thursday to confirm that.

The dispute is believed to be between individual members of the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs, but not the wider gangs.

Police said they don't believe the public is in danger.