No Police Complaints Authority investigation into gunman's death

The Independent Police Conduct Authority will not investigate police actions during last week's armed siege in Napier.

The announcement followed confirmation yesterday from a coroner that gunman Jan Molenaar had no injuries caused by police and his death was self-inflicted.

The authority investigated incidents in which police actions caused or appeared to have caused death or serious bodily harm, and authority chair Justice Lowell Goddard said there was no public interest in an investigation in this case.

Molenaar shot and killed Senior Constable Len Snee last Thursday during a routine drugs operation. Mr Snee's funeral was held yesterday.

Three men injured in Molenaar's fatal shooting rampage last week were today all improving in hospital.

Senior Constable Grant Diver was in a stable condition in Hawke's Bay hospital and attended Mr Snee's funeral in his hospital bed, while Senior Constable Bruce Miller remained critical but improving in the intensive care yesterday.

Civilian Leonard Holmwood, who tried to disarm Molenaar, had further surgery yesterday to remove shrapnel and was stable but improving.

He had been moved from the intensive care unit to the high dependency unit.

A police spokeswoman said the police investigation into the shootings was not expected to be completed before next week. Molenaar's friends and family acknowledged his death and their loss in funeral notices in the Hawke's Bay Today newspaper yesterday.

"My dear son. May you be at peace with yourself. We all love you," his father wrote.

Molenaar's partner Del said she was the luckiest person to have had him in her life and he had left her with golden years to treasure.

His siblings thanked him for their years together. "Bye for now big brother".

Friends wrote that Molenaar was fun and strong and would always be missed.

Molenaar's body was at Ruahapia Marae in Hastings until his funeral service tomorrow morning.