Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables:

Police investigating the fatal shooting of Kaoss Price between New Plymouth and Waitara last week are appealing for potential witnesses to come forward.

Police would like to speak to anyone with information or footage that may assist the enquiry.

Information can be provided to Police by emailing: OperationWoods@police.govt.nz

The investigation team — being led by a Detective Superintendent, Detective Inspector and Detective Senior Sergeant — has come from outside Taranaki.

The scene of the incident stretched about 230 metres along SH3 and exhibits requiring forensic examination included 15 vehicles and one trailer.

The examination of those vehicles was completed on Wednesday.

The process of interviewing a significant number of witnesses is ongoing.

Enquiries to date have established that about 9.30pm on Saturday 16 April, a Police unit conducted a vehicle stop on a car travelling along SH3.

While Police were speaking to the driver of this vehicle, Mr Price has sped past in his vehicle with the headlights off.

He has turned around and driven at high speed toward Police, before crossing the centre line and narrowly missing the stationary Police car.

He continued down the road before making a second u-turn and driving back toward Police, this time ramming the Police car at speed.

The force of the impact shunted the Police car off the road.

Mr Price’s vehicle was immobilised due to the damage sustained in this collision.

After the collision Mr Price has left his vehicle and attempted to commandeer a number of vehicles from members of the public who had stopped due to the incident.

He was shot while attempting to take control of one of these vehicles.

Police immediately commenced first aid, however, Mr Price was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance staff.

Members of the public caught up in the incident were not injured.

Mr Price did not have a firearm and Police did not recover any firearms from the scene.

Mr Price was returned to his whanau yesterday following the completion of a post-mortem.

Police and support services continue to provide support to Mr Price’s family, the community and our staff at this difficult time.

While witness interviews and other enquiries continue Police are not in a position to comment further.

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