A 24-year-old man appeared in court this morning, charged with murdering an Auckland police officer.
The man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was seen via video link in the Waitakere District Court and is accused of killing Constable Matthew Hunt.
He appeared hunched over, and remained silent throughout his first appearance
He has been granted name suppression for the time being.
The man is also charged with attempted murder and dangerous driving causing injury.
Constable Hunt was shot dead in a West Auckland street yesterday morning, during a "routine traffic stop" that took a fatal turn.
Police had been following a vehicle of interest on Reynella Drive in Massey, when shots were fired.
Another officer is recovering from leg wounds, and a member of the public was injured when they were hit by a car.
The Armed Offenders Squad was called in to assist with the manhunt, which lasted several hours.
The accused was remanded without plea in custody until his next appearance in the High Court early next month.
Meanwhile, police are still searching for 30-year-old Natalie Bracken in relation to the incident.
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