Wellington Hosptial lockdown: Black Power member pleads guilty to firing a shotgun

A Black Power member has admitted shooting at a gang rival outside Wellington Hospital last week in an incident that sent the hospital into lockdown.

Today Shoshonee Rayne-Bou Nirvana appeared in the New Plymouth District Court via audiovisual link from prison.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of discharging a firearm to intimidate.

According to the summary of facts, Pullan-Whakarau was at a motel on Riddiford St, Wellington, at around 5.10pm on May 1.

The 22-year-old from Taranaki was in Wellington visiting a relative who was a patient in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Another family was also staying at the motel, with a relative also hospitalized.

A recovered member of the Mongrel Mob was visiting this family when an altercation broke out between him and Pullan-Whakarau and their associates.

The Mongrel Mob member and his associate armed themselves with knives and exchanged words with Pullan-Whakarau and his associates.

Shortly thereafter, the Mongrel Mob member and his associate left the motel and drove to the hospital where they parked near the main entrance.

Meanwhile, Pullan-Whakarau grabbed a shotgun from his room at the motel and drove to the hospital with his associates.

In the emergency department car park, Pullan-Whakarau drove the wrong way through the hospital pick-up and drop-off lane and then stopped a short distance from the Mongrel Mob member’s vehicle.

Pullan-Whakarau got out of the car and started shouting in the direction of his rival, with the loaded shotgun at his side.

He returned to his car and drove closer to the rival before getting out again and approaching the vehicle.

Pullan-Whakarau stopped about 5 meters from the man’s car and raised the firearm, pointing to where he was sitting.

Despite another family member passing by and trying to stop him, Pullan-Whakarau fired one shot into the driver’s door.

The Mongrel Mob member was unharmed, but the outer panel of the door was punctured.

Pullan-Whakarau and his associates got back into their vehicle and drove away.

The incident sparked a major police response and caused the Wellington Regional Hospital to be placed on lockdown for a period of time.

In court at the time, defense lawyer Nathan Bourke said Pullan-Whakarau’s young cousin had been involved in a car accident and emotions were running high.

Judge Gregory Hikaka entered the guilty plea and remanded Pullan-Whakarau back into custody ahead of sentencing on August 30.

A 21-year-old Gisborne man was also arrested in connection with the incident and charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 as news director and Open Justice reporter. She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff, covering crime and justice, arts and entertainment, and Māori issues.