WELLINGTON, New Zealand—Police said Friday that the two men killed at a New Zealand construction site had worked with the gunman, and court records revealed one of them had been convicted of domestic violence for assaulting a partner.
New Zealanders were still reeling from Thursday's uncommon shooting, which shut down a section of downtown Auckland just hours before the start of the Women's World Cup soccer event, which was hosted with boosted security. Police did not specify whether the man's outburst was precipitated by anything.
Early in the morning, the shooter attacked the high-rise building, starting fire on scared employees. He was discovered dead during a police gunfight.
A cop who was shot and injured remained in stable condition at the hospital on Friday. Authorities said three individuals were still hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while two others had been released.
The Associated Press said that police had yet to publicly identify the gunman but did not refute allegations that it was Matu Reid, 24, who was serving a home detention term but had an exemption to work on the construction site.
According to court records obtained by the news site Stuff, Reid was convicted of domestic violence after hitting his then-girlfriend in 2021. According to the documents, he struck her, kicked her in the stomach, and gripped her throat for around 10 seconds, leading her to fear for her life.
The lady fled Reid and dialled 911 from a gas stop.
Reid was sentenced to five months in house detention by a court in March.
“I do not want to send a young man like you, with a limited history, to prison,” the judge said in his sentencing notes. “I think it would be counterproductive and actually set you down the wrong path.”
The shooting, according to New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, was an isolated incident, and the FIFA competition resumed Thursday night with a game between the host side and Norway.
Moreover 40,000 people came, including the prime minister, making it the highest audience to see a soccer match in New Zealand's history. It culminated in a historic victory for the host team, their first in a World Cup game.
According to police, the gunman in Thursday's attack used a type of shotgun that is not prohibited under the new regulations. However, he lacked a firearms license and hence should not have been in possession of a handgun, according to authorities.
