A third person has been arrested in the search for the Head Hunters gang member on the run from police after a shooting at an Auckland hotel last month.
Hone Reihana is currently being sought by police after being identified as a person of interest in the shooting at Auckland's Sofitel Hotel in April. He is considered dangerous and should not be approached.
On Saturday, Detective Inspector John Sutton said two people in Northland had been arrested for assisting Reihana evade police, and on Tuesday, a third was charged.
"A 30-year-old man was arrested in West Auckland [on Tuesday] morning," Det Insp Sutton said. "He has been charged with being an Accessory after the Fact and is scheduled to appear in the Waitakere District Court [on Tuesday] afternoon."
Det Insp Sutton said police are continuing to carry out a range of enquiries to locate and apprehend Reihana, who also uses the name Hone Hawira. Police on Saturday said the gang member was involved in an incident last Friday night, for which he will likely face charges.
Reihana became a person of interest after a shot was fired at the Sofitel Hotel on April 15.
Not long after, officers rushed to a property in the Auckland suburb of Ōrākei, blocking roads and putting a local marae into lockdown. No one was injured in the incidents.
Police have confirmed the hotel incident involved individuals from the Head Hunters and Mongols gangs, and "relates to ongoing issues between individuals who are members of those gangs". The gangs were also involved in two other incidents in Auckland that week.
Det Insp Sutton said at the time that police are sending a strong warning to the gangs "regarding this reckless, dangerous and unlawful behaviour".
"While nobody was injured in this incident, what we saw at the Sofitel [in April] was extremely concerning. Members of the public were present and their safety was put at risk," he said.
"Police will not tolerate these crimes and we have a large team working around the clock to ensure we identify and arrest all of those involved."
Anyone with further information that may assist police enquiries is asked to contact (09) 477 5221 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Police repeat the warning that anyone found to be assisting Reihana in evading police could find themselves liable for prosecution.
