The man killed in a New Plymouth police shooting had rammed an officer's patrol car before being shot, police say.
Police Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables revealed new details about the shooting of Kaoss Price in a media conference on Monday morning.
Cordons on parts of State Highway 3 have now been lifted following a scene examination.
Venables confirmed earlier media speculation about the 22-year-old's identity and said he was from Bell Block in Taranaki, before releasing details of the sequence of events leading up to the shooting.
Family members of Price have shared tributes online and expressed anger at police actions. Police won't reveal whether Price was armed and have said the incident remains under investigation.
Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables said it was a "very difficult and tragic time" for the whānau of 22-year-old Kaoss Price. (Source: 1News)
At around 9.30pm on Saturday night, a police unit conducted a vehicle stop on State Highway 3 between New Plymouth and Waitara, according to Venables.
"That car was being driven by an associate of Mr Price," she said.
"Mr Price was driving a second car in convoy with his associate. While the vehicle stop of the associate's car was being carried out Mr Price has driven past and then turned back, and rammed the stationary marked police car.
Investigations in New Plymouth after a "fatal police shooting" during a vehicle stop on Saturday night. (Source: 1News)
"The circumstances beyond that are the subject of an ongoing investigation."
Formal statements had yet to be taken from the officers involved, according to the assistant commissioner, which limited what police could publicly say. A number of witness statements also had yet to be taken, she said.
Last year, Price was convicted on a range of charges including reckless driving, theft and escaping custody.
On a sentencing appeal, the judge said he'd had a "transient and chaotic family life" and sentenced him to 23 months, with leave to apply for home detention
Former police negotiator Lance Burdett told 1News that a firearm does not have to be shown or used against police officers for firearms to be deployed. Police have shot and killed 40 people since 1990, including two others in the Waitara region.
"This incident has also been incredibly traumatic for the officers involved… I am extremely grateful that they were not physically harmed during this incident," she said.
READ MORE: Mum relieved kids stuck behind Taranaki police cordon let out
In a separate statement, police said a post-mortem is planned to take place in the next several days and that there will be a coronial inquiry into the man's death.
Meanwhile, two investigations are now underway that will establish the circumstances around the shooting, police added.
"A critical incident investigation is now under way, overseen by a detective superintendent appointed by the Assistant Commissioner Investigations.
"The objectives of this investigation include determining the circumstances of the incident and gathering and preserving all evidence, establishing whether force used was legally justified, and whether any person is criminally liable for actions taken.
"The Independent Police Conduct Authority has also been notified and will be carrying out their own investigation, as is standard for all fatal police shootings."
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