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Ponsonby shooting: Hone Kay-Selwyn sought by police
Police investigating the Ponsonby homicide case have named the man who they believe shot one person dead on Sunday night.
Hone Kay-Selwyn, 31, has been on the run since the fatal shooting two nights ago.
Now police have a warrant for his arrest for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Detective Inspector Chris Barry said police were keen for any information on Kay-Selwyn’s whereabouts.
“We are reiterating that Kay-Selwyn is considered dangerous and should not be approached.
“Anyone who sights him should contact police immediately on 111.”
Flowers have been laid at the scene of the Ponsonby shooting on 7 May 2024. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
He said the investigation had made progress.
“We know that the community have several questions about what has occurred in Ponsonby on Sunday evening and we can reassure you police are working tirelessly to give the victim’s family answers and to put this man before the court.
Anyone concealing his identity or whereabouts could find themselves facing prosecution for being an accessory after the fact, Barry said.
Police “received a number of calls” to help identify the man.
“We now need your help to locate him,” Barry said.
“We continue to ask anyone who has information or footage of the incident to get in touch with us.”
A dedicated police portal has been set up for this investigation called Operation Hurley.
What happened?
About 10.15pm on Sunday, police were called to Ponsonby Road after reports of a possible shooting.
When officers arrived, a man was lying dead on the pavement, outside Glengarry Wines. Police immediately cordoned off the area and launched a homicide investigation.
Detective Inspector Barry said it was believed the alleged gunman had been denied access to a bar on the road as staff were preparing to close for the night.
He lingered on the street.
Police at the scene on Ponsonby Road, on Sunday, 5 May 2024. Photo: Finn Blackwell
Barry said it was believed the man had a gun concealed in a bag he was carrying, and when a group of four men got out of a car nearby, he fired multiple shots at them, killing one.
By the time police arrived, the shooter had left the scene.
Were the men known to each other?
At this stage, Barry has said there was “no indication” the victim and the shooter were known to each other.
The motive for the shooting was “unknown” and it was “difficult to say” whether it was gang-related, he said.
Who is the man being sought?
Detective Inspector Chris Barry holds an image of a man he says police are seeking in connection with the fatal shooting in Ponsonby. Photo: RNZ / Screenshot
On Monday, police released CCTV images of the man they believed was involved with the shooting.
On Tuesday, he was named as Hone Kay-Selwyn.
Barry said police were appealing to the public to locate him.
He said the man was considered “extremely dangerous” and the public should not approach him.
A woman who said she was the partner of Kay-Selwyn expressed remorse for his actions.
In a now deleted Facebook post she said her inbox had been “overflowing” with messages about her partner’s actions on Sunday night in Ponsonby.
“I want to express my sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim. I’m deeply sorry and feel a great sense of shame about the situation.”
She said she was “grappling” with the fact he had taken someone’s life.
When contacted by RNZ the woman did not want to comment further. She said she “wanted no part in any of this” and that her and her children were innocent.
Police would not comment directly on the social media post or confirm if they had spoken to the woman.
A police spokesperson said they were “speaking with a number of people in relation to the investigation and couldn’t go into specifics”.
Who was the victim?
The identity of the victim is yet to be released by police.
Formal identification processes were underway, Barry said, and next of kin were being informed.
What is the status of the investigation?
Police said there had been good progress in the investigation as on Tuesday.
The search for Kay-Selwyn is continuing and police have said they will maintain a strong presence in the Ponsonby area in the coming days.
“We are deeply concerned that he does remain out in the community,” Barry said.
“We don’t know, at this stage, who he is, and the best possible outcome is for us to detain him as soon as possible.”
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has expressed his shock over the incident, saying his thoughts are with the victim’s family.
He said the council had been trying to take steps to address safety in the central city.
VIA RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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