The girlfriend of a man who was fatally shot by police in a raid on a Hamilton property has lashed out, saying he wasn't armed.
Police say Nick Marshall pointed a firearm at them before officers shot him and have called his death an "unavoidable tragedy".
The 36-year-old man died at the Frankton address, despite attempts by police in "cramped" conditions to provide first aid. He was pronounced dead by paramedics.
His girlfriend Kendyl Eadie was at the property when he was killed and took to Facebook to give her version of events.
"The police murdered my beautiful partner Nick Marshall at 6pm this evening. He wasn't armed or threatening," Ms Eadie wrote.
"I'm still in shock, still can't believe those who are supposed to serve and protect NZ are cold-blooded killers."
It is a claim backed up by his father, who says the death was a result of "trigger-happy" police.
In a statement released earlier today, Assistant Commissioner Allan Boreham gave the police version of events.
He says police entered the property in the industrial area around 6:30pm in relation to a methamphetamine and firearms investigation. When they entered the property, police told those inside they were armed.
"Once inside the building the officers encountered a man, who upon seeing police, reached for and picked up a long-barrelled firearm and actioned it in very close proximity," Asst Cmmr Boreham says.
"Despite being called upon multiple times, he continued to present the firearm and was subsequently shot."
Police say a full investigation is underway into the incident, including a scene examination.
Their original investigation into methamphetamine and firearms is ongoing.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) is investigating.
Police Association president Greg O'Connor says the "pre-planned" search warrant shows officers were prepared for "every eventuality".
"One thing we've learned since the unfortunate death in Hawke's Bay of our colleague Len Snee is that we must plan all of these operations, right down to every search warrant we do," he told Paul Henry on Wednesday.
"If there's any possibility firearms will be there, of course we take the experts; we take the armed offenders squad and when we hear there's been a shooting involving the armed offenders squad it's some reassurance the planning has gone on."
He says it would be a rare occurrence nowadays that any drug property didn't have firearms.
Mr O'Connor says the public can be reassured the operation was planned and staff were prepared with one goal in mind - safety.
He says the officer who shot the person would now face a "three or four year process" in investigating what happened, including the coroner and IPCA inquiries.
"This whole situation will be reinvestigated and investigated to the nth degree."
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