1404 NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 61 6 MAY 2011

significant danger, despite being equipped with ballistic armour, as Molenaar was using high calibre semi-automatic firearms at close range.

Austin Bernard HEMMINGS (Posthumous)
DECEASED 25 September 2008, Auckland

Citation

At 5.14 p.m. on Thursday 25 September 2008 a woman, Ms Nonu, went outside the rear of the office building in which she worked in Mills Lane, Auckland, to have a coffee break. As she left the building she saw a man she recognised as the ex-boyfriend of one of her work colleagues. This man approached Ms Nonu and backed her into the corner of the building in a threatening and aggressive manner. At this time Austin Hemmings was making his way from his office building to his car park, which was close to where the man and Ms Nonu were standing. Ms Nonu saw Mr Hemmings and called out to him for assistance saying "Excuse me, Sir, can you please help me. Can you call the Police." Mr Hemmings went straight up to them to see what was going on and was told by the man to get out of the way as it was none of his business.

Mr Hemmings then positioned himself between them, with his back to Ms Nonu. The man again told Mr Hemmings to get out of the way if he didn’t want to get hurt. At this, Mr Hemmings turned to Ms Nonu and told her to run. As she moved towards the building and the lift, Mr Hemmings kept himself between the man and Ms Nonu, stepping backwards in a guarding motion until she reached the car park entrance. The man followed. When he was about five metres from Ms Nonu he suddenly turned back towards Mr Hemmings. Walking quickly towards him, the man raised his jersey, pulled out a large knife and in one quick motion stabbed Mr Hemmings in the chest.

After stabbing Mr Hemmings the man caught up with Ms Nonu as she was entering an elevator. He punched her several times and attempted to stab her before turning and running from the scene.

Meanwhile, Mr Hemmings managed to stagger about 100 metres from the area before collapsing to the pavement and dying.

In going to Ms Nonu’s assistance, Mr Hemmings unknowingly walked straight into a dangerous situation. As soon as he confronted the offender, however, it would have become apparent to him that he risked assault and possible serious injury. At this point he could have left the scene, probably unharmed, but he deliberately put himself in danger and continued to protect Ms Nonu until he believed she had reached a place of safety. This outstandingly brave decision ultimately cost him his life.

Leonard Rex HOLMWOOD

Citation

On the morning of 7 May 2009, Mr Leonard Holmwood called in to the house of his friend, Mr Jan Molenaar, at 41 Chaucer Road South, Napier, to have a cup of coffee. He arrived to find three Police Officers talking to Mr Molenaar’s partner about some cannabis. Mr Molenaar was absent from the property at the time, walking his dog, but arrived home about five minutes later. Apparently angered by the Police presence, Mr Molenaar appeared holding a rifle and ordered everyone to leave the house. The three Police Officers, Mr Holmwood and Mr Molenaar’s partner left the house as instructed. As they reached the street, Mr Molenaar fired a number of shots from the balcony of his house, hitting all three Police Officers. He then came down to the street level carrying the rifle, where he was confronted by Mr Holmwood. Mr Molenaar was facing up Chaucer Road in the direction in which two of the wounded Police Officers were attempting to retreat from the scene. Mr Holmwood was facing down the street, but could hear the voices of the wounded Officers and, briefly looking over his shoulder, could see them only a short distance up the road. Mr Molenaar told Mr Holmwood to get out of his way and began to swing the barrel of his rifle in the direction of the Police Officers. Mr Holmwood immediately grabbed the rifle and tried to dissuade Mr Molenaar from firing it, at the same time turning it away from its intended targets. A tussle then followed between Mr Holmwood and Mr Molenaar until Mr Molenaar, the larger man, prevailed and Mr Holmwood was thrown to the ground. Mr Molenaar then fired two shots, one of which struck Mr Holmwood in the hip, inflicting a serious injury. By this time, the two Police Officers had managed to take cover away from immediate danger. Mr Molenaar then left the scene and returned to his house. Mr Holmwood managed to take cover behind one of the Police cars that were parked nearby, and beside which the third wounded Police Officer lay. Mr Holmwood tried to reach him to give first aid, but a volley of shots from Mr Molenaar forced him to take cover behind a block wall. It was from this position that Mr Holmwood was subsequently rescued by members of the Armed Offenders Squad and taken to hospital.

Mr Holmwood’s outstandingly brave actions prevented Mr Molenaar from firing further shots at the wounded Police Officers, giving them valuable time in which to seek cover and relative safety. In doing so he sustained potentially life-threatening injuries. Even when wounded, he attempted to provide assistance to another wounded Police Officer who lay nearby.

Dennis Michael HURWORTH
Senior Constable, New Zealand Police

Citation

The first Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) members to arrive in the vicinity of Chaucer Road, Napier, on 7 May 2009 were Senior Constable Hurworth, Senior Constable Symonds and Constable Burne. They came down Chaucer Road from the intersection with Guys Hill Road. They were intent on finding and evacuating Senior Constable Snee, and Senior Constable Diver who they knew had been shot, as well as any civilians who might have been in the area. The offender, Jan Molenaar, could not be accurately located. He continually fired volleys of shots from high calibre semi-automatic weaponry.

As they moved down Chaucer Road they came across the injured Senior Constable Miller who had been shot and was lying in the driveway at 47 Chaucer Road and was being attended to by others. Ascertaining that he was stable, they came to Senior Constable Len Snee lying on the road outside 41 Chaucer Road (Molenaar’s house). Checking Snee’s condition, they found that he was deceased. Leonard Holmwood, a civilian who had been shot, was also located nearby. By now Symonds and his team were fully aware that the offender, Molenaar, possessed high calibre semi-automatic firearms, was able to accurately discharge them, was volatile, and had shot three police officers and a civilian. His location unknown, they knew they were in a very dangerous situation.

Even with this knowledge, Hurworth and the other two AOS officers pressed on, fully exposed to fire, looking for Senior Constable Diver. The three AOS officers thought Diver was possibly in the section at the rear of Molenaar’s house. Senior Constable Symonds called out to Diver, the calls alerting Molenaar to their position. Without any warning, Molenaar fired a volley of at least 13 shots at them. The officers took cover behind a wooden fence close to Molenaar’s house. The shots went through the fence above their heads.