14 Jul 2009

Kaingaroa residents fear escalating family feud

5:18 am on 14 July 2009

Members of the remote Kaingaroa community in the Bay of Plenty say they fear someone will be killed if a long-running family feud is not defused.

On Sunday, a 21-year-old man was shot in the hand and an 18-year-old was shot in the shoulder in the small town. Both were taken to hospital, along with a third person who sustained minor stab wounds. Police said shots had been fired at a car.

A 16-year-old youth and a 20-year-old man appeared in the Taupo Youth Court on Monday, charged with attempted murder.

Police say the incident was not gang related, but the latest chapter in a feud between families. Inspector Greg Sparrow from Rotorua police says they've learned there have been several violent incidents involving the two families.

He says police numbers have been bolstered in the area in case of possible retribution following the incident.

Kaingaroa Forest dairy owner Pamela Taitapanui says local people fear retribution, and if the families don't sort out their differences, somebody will be killed.