Two Napier police officers seriously wounded by gunman Jan Molenaar gave tearful evidence at a coroner's court in Napier today about the fatal shooting of their colleague in the driveway of Molenaar's house in May last year.
Mr Snee was one of three police officers who went to Molenaar's Chaucer Road house on May 7 to conduct a search for drugs. He was killed by Molenaar after being ordered out of the house. The two other officers, as well as a friend of Molenaar's, Len Holmwood, were also shot and seriously injured by the gunman.
After a three-day siege, police found Molenaar's body in the house after he apparently took his own life.
Before he died, Molenaar left a note saying: "I was bad. I paid for my crime. I let everyone down, I know. JM"
In a second note to his partner Delwyn Keefe, the dead man said he loved her, describing her as "a loyal, faithful person''. She is serving a two year and three-month jail term for cannabis offences related to Molenaar's drug-dealing operation.
Senior Constable Grant Diver, a drug dog handler, told the inquest how he and colleagues Senior Constable Bruce Miller and Mr Snee had gone to Molenaar's house about 9.30am to serve a search warrant. Molenaar was out walking his dog and only Keefe was at home.
As they were talking to Keefe, Mr Holmwood arrived at the house. Keefe showed the police a carton of one-ounce bags of cannabis in a downstairs basement. A loaded sawn-off shotgun was found.
Molenaar arrived home in an aggressive state and told police to leave. He went into a "growing room'' off the main bedroom and reappeared with a rifle.
Mr Diver said when they got outside, Mr Snee hesitated beside his utility. As Mr Diver glanced up he saw Molenaar on the deck with a .22 rifle pointed at him and Mr Miller.
Molenaar then shifted his aim toward Mr Snee and fired two shots, one of them hitting him in the neck. As Mr Snee began to fall, Mr Miller began to run but was shot in the back.
Struggling to contain his emotions in court, Mr Diver said Molenaar opened fire without warning.
"I remember just as this happened I tried to run but was shot through the arm and groin,'' he said.
Molenaar fired at least six shots at the men, hitting Mr Miller who then tried to crawl up the hill to find cover.
Mr Miller told the inquest that he saw Molenaar aim at Mr Snee and fire several shots. He saw Mr Snee tumble backwards and Molenaar shift his aim to him and Mr Diver. Moments later he was hit in the back.
Mr Holmwood, who was ordered outside with the police officers, saw Molenaar aiming his rifle at the injured police officers outside his gate so he pushed it aside.
The struggle lasted for about 10 seconds until Molenaar threw Mr Holmwood to the ground and fired two shots, one of them hitting him in the thigh.
Keefe said she warned the officers that Molenaar would be "ropeable'' when he got back and found them in his house.
When Molenaar appeared with the rifle, she ran toward him with her arms in the air while he demanded that the police leave. Mr Miller said ''okay we'll go'' and the group walked down the steps.
She heard Molenaar say "I told you'' to the police outside and then heard him fire seven shots. When he began shooting she covered her eyes.
When she opened them, she could see a pair of black boots being dragged away from beside the utility.
A few moments later three Armed Offender Squad members ran past the front of the house and Molenaar began firing through the kitchen window.
He then put the rifle down and told her: "Love, you go. It's over for me''.
Earlier in the inquest, Detective Superintendent Rod Drew said Molenaar had fired shots at 13 other people and would have faced 18 counts of attempted murder.
Molenaar saw himself as a local hero who stood up to gangs and had been dealing in drugs for 10 years. He believed his neighbours were spying on him and that he was under police surveillance.
Mr Drew said that unfortunately some of his associates knew of his attitude and his collection of firearms but had not told police.
However, Mr Drew also said that in l995 police had received an anonymous letter saying Molenaar was selling cannabis, some of it to youngsters, and that he had a collection of guns. There were no surviving records indicating that any action was taken over the letter.
