MAORI AIR TRAINEE RUNS AMOK AND IS SHOT DEAD

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1949, Page 5

MAORI AIR TRAINEE RUNS AMOK AND IS SHOT DEAD

' K press Association )

Early Morning Gun Battle On R.N.Z.A.F. Station At Weedons - ? J ® ' '

(Per

' . ' CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 14, / ; After a three-hour battle in which sbots from autbmatic' pistols and .803 rifles shattered the stillness of the night at tlieRoyal New Zealand Air Force Station at Weedons, 10 ftiiles South of Christchurch, Waata Haremia Momo, known as Walter, Henr.y Momo, 24:year-old leading aircraftman, who escaped from custody in the guard house and terrorised the camp with indiscriminate shooting, was shot dead. - . ;

Momo, according to the police, had been. taken into custody beCause of his nervous mental condition. At 1-.30 a.m. today he escaped.. Forcing his way into the armoury, .he removed a .303 rifle, a ' bayonet and . about 60 rounds of ammunition. Opening Barrage. He then moved unnoticed to the main entrance to the station, where he held up a city taxi driver who had brought an airman back from Christchurch. Momo fired three sfiots at the vehicle._ One of these sh'ots entered tfxe rear of the car, ripped its way along the interior roof covering and went out through the roof. The second shot ture through the front mudguard, while the final one went astray. The driver of the taxi, Mr. W. L. Drury, moved swiftly. With his passenger, Mr. Leonard Bryant, he raced from the scene and headed towards Rolleston, the . direction in which he had been facing on arrival. There Mr. Bryant notified the Christchurch police. No sooner • had advice of the shooting been received in the city than police parties under the control of Sergeants G. Cleary and 'O. D. Wilks sped to Weedons. A police radio car also travelled to the air station with the armed parties. When they reached Weedons the police squads from Christchurch were .ioined by constables from Lincoln and Islington. Momo, after fifing at the taxi, went into the camp telephone exchange, held up the operator and took control from the exchange, which is in a small upstairs room at the horth-western corner of a large store. . Momo apparently caUght sight of the police party, which had been joined by a large force of airmen., They were also arihed.

Momo . began firlhg on these. men. The groups fanned dftt aidd' the store Was surrounded-. Momo kept up a steady hail of bultets' and showed no signs of leafihg the exchange. Tear gas w^k thefiused to dri've Momo into the Stbre:: Realising that he Was t^ap^efiv the now desperate Momo dashb'd from a side doOr with. his' fifie blazing and bayonet ' fixed. He ran into an open paddock : still firing. Momo's pursuers returfied his fire and after a short, sharp encounter he dropped to the ground dead. An ambulance and doetor froin the Christchurch Public Hospital had been despatched to weedofts to attend to possible casualties, but their services were hot required. However, the Supefihtendent of Police at Christchurch, Mr. J. Bruce Young, said that several of his men had harrOWly escaped being shot. Lucky No LiVes Were Lolst. "We were very fortunate t'o come out of this affair' without loss of life," added Mr-. Youftg. He explained that in additioh tO the parties of armed nien sent tO Weedons, another grou,p of about 20 men, including Inspector _T. E. Holmes, of the Detective Uffibe, and Sub-Inspector G. H. L. Hoit, hiad been standing by ih Christchurch ready to joi'n up'with the parties at a moment's hotice. An inque'st into the death of Momo was opened at CHristch'ufbh morgue at 9.30 today befofd the coroner, Mr. Raymond Ferner.- , Flight Sergeant Leslie Frahkiin Gibbs, station warrant offlbei' at the R.N.Z.A.F. Btofes Depot, Weedons, gave evidence Of idfefitification. He said that hte had known Momo for about five years, for the past two of which MoifiO had been employed as a cie'rk in the orderly room at Weedons. The inquest was adjourned sine die.