The 33-year-old man fatally shot by police outside Auckland's Sylvia Park Shopping Centre was on community detention and supervision at the time of the incident. RNZ reports Hapai Otene had four previous firearms convictions, had served prison time for aggravated robbery and was facing another charge when Thursday's confrontation unfolded.
eLocal Report: Based on reporting by Sam Sherwood and Edward Gay for RNZ HERE
On Community Detention
Police have formally identified the man fatally shot outside Sylvia Park as Hapai Otene, 33, of Auckland.
Otene was shot by police on Thursday after allegedly stealing an air rifle from Gun City in Penrose and driving towards Sylvia Park. Police said he was still carrying the air rifle when officers confronted him near an entrance to the shopping centre.
RNZ reports Otene had four previous convictions for firearms offences and was sentenced to four years in prison in 2023 for aggravated robbery. After his release in 2025, he stole more than $1000 worth of goods from Rebel Sport and was sentenced to four months of community detention and supervision.
At the time of his death, Otene was also facing a charge of taking a Subaru Legacy and had appeared in court less than a month earlier.
Curfew Did Not Apply at Time of Shooting
Corrections director of communities, partnerships and pathways Simon Chaplin confirmed Otene was subject to community detention and supervision.
His sentence included a 7pm to 7am curfew, with electronic monitoring used to verify he remained at his approved home address during those hours.
However, the Sylvia Park incident occurred outside the curfew period. Corrections therefore says Otene was not in breach of his curfew at the time.
Corrections is now reviewing its involvement with Otene, but says it will not provide further information while its review and police investigations remain underway.
Community detention is described by Corrections as a punitive community sentence restricting an offender's movements during court-ordered curfew periods. Electronic monitoring can be used to ensure the offender remains at an approved residence during those hours.
A screen was put up outside Footlocker on Friday following the shooting. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi.
Air Rifle Stolen From Gun City
Gun City owner David Tipple told RNZ that Otene had been shown an empty air rifle before allegedly grabbing it and running from the store.
Staff chased him and one employee came close to catching him, according to Tipple, but Otene escaped in a vehicle.
Tipple said nothing similar had occurred during the company's 48 years in business and questioned why public attention might focus on the weapon rather than how a person already known to the courts was able to place himself and the public in danger.
Police Superintendent Sunny Patel has said investigators are still establishing exactly how the weapon was taken.
Police Pursuit Ends at Sylvia Park
Police were notified of the theft at about 2pm on Thursday. Police vehicles and the Eagle helicopter were deployed and located the vehicle near Sylvia Park.
Road spikes were successfully deployed, but police said the vehicle continued towards Mount Wellington Highway and was being driven erratically.
Officers subsequently confronted Otene underneath an overpass as he approached the Sylvia Park entrance while still carrying the air rifle. He was then fatally shot by police.
Police remained at Sylvia Park on Friday following the fatal shooting. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi.
Questions Remain Over Shooting
A critical incident investigation is now underway and the Independent Police Conduct Authority has also been notified and will conduct its own investigation.
Several significant details had not been established publicly when RNZ reported the story. Police did not know whether the air rifle was loaded or whether Otene possessed ammunition.
Patel was also unable to say how many times Otene was shot, whether officers attempted to detain him before shots were fired, or whether Otene pointed the air rifle at anyone.
The decision to use a firearm rested with the officer at the scene and did not require prior clearance, Patel said. The officer involved has been stood down as part of normal procedure.
Police Association president Steve Watt described the incident as traumatic and said it was something no police officer wanted to experience.
Investigations Underway
Police say CCTV footage and witness accounts will form part of the investigation into the events leading to Otene's death.
A post-mortem and formal identification have been completed, and Otene's next of kin have been notified. Police have extended condolences to his family and said support would be made available.
Ngāti Paoa conducted a blessing at the scene on Thursday night, while police have increased their presence around Sylvia Park to reassure shoppers, workers and the wider community.
Superintendent Sunny Patel (file image). Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi.
The incident leaves two separate areas of scrutiny. Police and the IPCA will examine whether the use of lethal force was justified in the circumstances confronting the officer, while Corrections is reviewing its involvement with an offender who was subject to community detention and supervision.
Those investigations will be important in establishing the full sequence of events and whether anything could have been done differently before the fatal confrontation occurred.
Source
Sam Sherwood and Edward Gay, RNZ — “Sylvia Park shooting: Man fatally shot by police was on community detention.”
Original report: RNZ
Independent reporting. Original context. Credited sources.