Rollie James Heke, 36, grew up in Cobden, where he went to school in the 1980s and later attended Greymouth High School, where he was a popular student among his peers.
Family members still live in Greymouth, including his mother, Marie Masalu, who last night made an emotional plea on national television for Mr Heke to give himself up immediately after a three-day intensive search following the shooting incident at Morrinsville at the weekend.
"Please do the right thing ... turn yourself in, son," Ms Masalu said.
Heke has not lived on the West Coast for years, but one former Greymouth High School student, who also attended Cobden School about the same time as Heke, remembered him as a popular person in touch with his Maori side.
"He did the cultural stuff. He was popular and he was good looking," the former classmate said.
Another contemporary described him as "a good guy".
Attempts to contact Heke's family in Greymouth this morning were rebuffed.
Greymouth police confirmed today they had been in touch with his family locally, but declined further comment.
The New Zealand Herald reported his mother on TV1 news last night imploring him to turn himself in.
"I don't want to lose another son," Ms Masalu said.
"I want to keep you for as long as I can.
"Son, I will come and visit you. I will be there for you. The family loves you, they care about you and they want you to know -- Rollie, we're all here for you."
In an impassioned plea she appealed directly to Heke: "It doesn't matter what anybody else says. It's what your whanau thinks about you and we love and care for you.
"Turn yourself in, son. I don't want to have to come and identify you in a morgue. That's from your mother."
Ms Masalu said it was a shock when she learned that her son was involved with the class A drug methamphetamine (P).
Police believed Heke led officers on a chase in Morrinsville on Sunday morning, when officers were forced to flee after they pulled over the car he was driving and he shot at them.
They ran to surrounding paddocks while their patrol vehicles were riddled with bullet holes.
Two people were taken into custody on Sunday but police said Heke escaped on foot.
On Monday night, armed police surrounded a Morrinsville house and called for Heke to come out, firing teargas into the property. But despite a search of the house and a neighbouring property, there was no sign of him.
- Brendon McMahon of the Greymouth Star
