Sort differences, gang heads told

The leaders of the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs have been called on to sort out their differences in Dunedin before any innocent members of the public get hurt.

Local Maori leader Tahu Potiki yesterday called for gang leadership to step in as two more men were brought before the court and police searched houses and vehicles for several people still wanted in relation to Sunday's gang confrontation in a suburban street in Liberton.

The president of the Dunedin chapter of Black Power was shot in the arm during the confrontation.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson, would not say how many people police were still looking for, but teenage Mongrel Mob gang member Dylan Hill was one of those still being sought.

Six men are to appear in the Dunedin District Court today on charges stemming from the incident, but no-one has yet been charged with the shooting.

He did not think the public should generally be concerned for their own safety, as the gangs were mainly interested in each other. The main concern of police was that innocent bystanders did not get caught up in a gang altercation, Det Sgt Henderson said.

Mr Potiki, the Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu Otakou representative, called for the gangs' national hierarchy to intervene before anyone else was hurt.

He urged the leaders of both gangs to sort out their differences, as it would be an "absolute disaster to see any innocent victims as a result of shots being fired in a public place".

The escalation in gang tension and the use of firearms was enough to cause the community to be concerned that "something is out of control here", he said.

The two men brought before the court yesterday were both granted bail, with curfews, until today.

Michael William Kushell (30), unemployed, was given a registrar's adjournment on an indictably-laid charge of unlawful assembly with four others, including Albert Epere, the president of the Dunedin chapter of Black Power.

Kushell was remanded on bail with conditions, including a 24-hour curfew.

Jahmaine Jah Collins (23), unemployed, appeared before justices of the peace and was remanded on bail with a 7pm-7am curfew.

He is charged with unlawful assembly, together with two other Mongrel Mob members, including teenager Tyrone Henare, in custody on a disorderly behaviour charge from Sunday's incident.

Epere, Daniel Ryan and another Black Power member, whose name is suppressed, are in custody on a unlawful assembly charge and also remanded to today.

Gang members continued to attract police attention yesterday.

Duty Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross said a fight between a Black Power member and five Mongrel Mob "wannabes" in Oxford St, South Dunedin, was reported to police at 1.48am, but when officers arrived everyone had gone.

About half an hour later, a pursuit ensued after police tried to stop a car believed to be connected to gang members, as it left a Loyalty St house a few blocks away.

Police said the car did not stop and was pursued along Corstorphine Rd, through Concord, Green Island and back into town via Blackhead Rd. It crashed into the Wharf St on-ramp to the Jetty St overbridge about 20 minutes later. The chase reached speeds of up to 120kmh on straight stretches, they said.

No-one was injured. The driver ran off over nearby railway lines and was not found. The other two occupants of the vehicle, a male and a female were "less than helpful", Snr Sgt Ross said.