Dozens of Head Hunter club members gathered at the funeral today of one of the two victims who were shot dead at a property in rural Omanawa on Tuesday last week.
They were there to pay their respects to their friend, a 32-year-old associate of the motorcycle club, while a number of police cars watched from a respectful distance.
Several vehicles revved their engines and spun their wheels, covering the road in smoke, on leaving the service. The funeral of the other shooting victim, a 43-year-old man, will be held in Tauranga today.
The identities of the two deceased were suppressed when a 25-year-old man appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday and charged with their murders.
He was also given name suppression until his next court appearance, although the police have named the other suspect in the double homicide as Anthony John Fane.
The 33-year-old Fane, who was shot dead after firing at police in a pursuit on Thursday night, was the partner of Jessie Lee Booth who was found dead in her Brookfield home on Friday.
Neighbours described Black Power members as regular visitors to their home.
In a bid to downplay tensions in the city, the police said the four deaths appear to be “unrelated to gang conflict although police are aware the incidents have involved gang members”.
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Source: NZ Herald