CHRISTCHURCH, CANTERBURY.

POLICE
“Is there any way that, is there any way… Is there any way we could change your mind on what you’re doing?“

SHAYNE
“Nah, I’ve made my … I’ve made my mind up, I’ve had enough.“

POLICE
“So there’s … so there’s no … there’s no coming back. Are you saying there’s no coming back?“

SHAYNE
“Nah.“

POLICE
“So there’s nothing that you want to live for?“

SHAYNE
“No.”

Visit www.truecrimenz.com for more information on this case including sources and credits.

Hosted by Jessica Rust

Written and edited by Sirius Rust

Music sourced from:

Divider Line
https://archive.org/details/divider-lines-music-for-films
“A Love Song For Someone I Once Knew”, “Why Has the Radio Stopped Playing”

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Day of Chaos by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3620-day-of-chaos
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Mesmerize by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4994-mesmerize
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Man Down by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4016-man-down
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Dreams Become Real by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3678-dreams-become-real
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The podcast version is the intended way to consume this story but we make a transcript available for those that would rather read instead. This can be found below.

Case 26: Shayne Sime

—–

DISCLAIMER:

Due to the recent nature of this crime. Some of the names of those involved have been omitted or changed to protect the innocent.

—–

INTRODUCTION

POLICE
Is there any way that, is there any way… Is there any way we could change your mind on what you’re doing?

SHAYNE
Nah, I’ve made my … I’ve made my mind up, I’ve had enough. 

POLICE
So there’s … so there’s no … there’s no coming back. Are you saying there’s no coming back?

SHAYNE
Nah. 

POLICE
So there’s nothing that you want to live for?

SHAYNE
No.

SHAYNE RICHARD SIME

Shayne Richard Sime was born sometime in either 1966 or 1967 in Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. Shayne was one of three children to the Sime family. 

Shayne’s childhood was rife with adversity, however. His parents separated while Shayne was still very young and he was subsequently shuffled between a number of different homes and schools throughout much of his childhood.

Life only became more complicated when Shayne was placed in a boarding school in his teen years. Evidently, traditional education wasn’t for young Shayne and he left high school at 15-years-old. 

In the years that followed, free from school Shayne Sime discovered pastimes that did inspire him. Shayne loved being active and he enjoyed exercising, in particular he loved performing martial arts. Shayne had a keen interest in the martial art karate and he was expeditiously making his way through the coloured belts — creeping closer, step by step, to the coveted black belt. 

However, the discipline shown during his primary vocation was not as present in the times outside of the dōjō. Shayne found himself slipping into a life of petty crime. In his late teens and early twenties, Shayne found himself ‘in the big house’, serving time for minor crimes — mostly alcohol and driving-related.

ILLNESS

Nevertheless, wherever Shayne Sime’s life was heading in his early twenties, it would make a dramatic right turn in 1990, when Shayne was 24-years-old, during a confrontation at a bar. During a bar fight, Shayne reportedly was struck in the head with a billiard cue which created a brain haemorrhage. It was also around this time that Shayne was diagnosed with the rare degenerative spinal disease, Brown-Sequard Syndrome. 

Brown-Sequard Syndrome is caused by a damaged spinal cord that, over time and among other symptoms, results in loss of motor function and ultimately leads to paralysis. It is unclear whether the Brown-Sequard Syndrome prognosis was a result from the fallout of the bar fight.

Shayne was put into treatment for his illnesses which included taking morphine for the pain, but slowly the disease took hold of young Shayne and it wasn’t long before he needed the use of crutches to move around. 

Over time, Shayne’s body deteriorated, as did his mental state. Shayne had achieved the rank of brown belt in his karate classes, a belt below the highest rank, black. However, with his new prognosis and degenerating health, Shayne would never be able to complete his ambition of procuring the prized black belt.

This fact, among a myriad of other reasons led Shayne to becoming increasingly depressed, many of his days were filled with musing over his suicidal thoughts, which eventually led to a suicide attempt in 1991, an attempted drug overdose. After this, Shayne reportedly found religion and decided not to attempt to commit suicide again as suicide was a sin against his God.

Nonetheless, in the time subsequent, Shayne’s mental state continued to be fragile and he reportedly expressed a desire to die rather than become “completely disabled”.

RELATIONSHIPS

Sometime in the ‘90s’, Shayne began a relationship with a woman. The woman has remained anonymous and unnamed to this day, so for the ease of storytelling, we will refer to her as ‘Rebecca’.

As the relationship commenced, Rebecca already had a son which Shayne took on as a stepson. Adding to the family of three, Shayne and Rebecca had a child together, a son. The happy times did not last however and the relationship came to an end with the turn of the new millennium, in the year 2000. Rebecca took full custody of the two children and flew across the Tasman Sea to make a fresh start in Australia. 

It was during this time that Shayne reportedly ‘fell out’ with many of his friends and family over various ‘matters’. Only seeing them sporadically over the next decade. From this point onwards, Shayne reportedly lived much of his life alone.

In 2001, Shayne’s illness took away his ability to walk and he was forced to use a wheelchair. For the better part of the next decade, Shayne’s solitary days consisted mostly of visiting the gym for some light exercise in his motor vehicle modified for his disability, before coming home to listen to music or watching DVDs.

That was until Shayne discovered a new passion in early 2006, a hobby that would come to envelope much of his time over the next three years — he developed a love of firearms.

GUNS

In September 2006, Shayne Sime applied for a firearms licence. As part of the process, an interview was conducted to establish if Shayne was suitable to obtain firearms. Concerns were raised at the interview that Shayne had not disclosed his head injury on the application form. Furthermore, one of Shayne’s referees expressed concern over his suitability to be a gun owner. Shayne also failed the Firearms Safety Test twice before eventually passing the third time.

A discussion was held between two Arms Officers who issued the licences about the suitability of Shayne as a gun owner in December 2006. A report was even drafted to refer the case to the Area Commander but at the conclusion of the meeting, Shayne was deemed to be trustworthy enough, and he was issued his firearms licence.

Shayne obtained two shotguns with his licence, as well as a .308 rifle. He joined the local gun club and spent much of his time in the subsequent years there, firing his weapons. A committee member of the gun club Shayne attended, told TVNZ in 2009 that Shayne would visit the club every Tuesday but would rarely speak to anyone, “He was just out there to enjoy himself shooting and he was kind of a…I suppose you’d put him down as a loner.”

Over the next three years, many concerning incidents were observed by neighbours of Shayne in regards to his actions with firearms. Many times, Shayne was observed exiting his front door at 7 Wadhurst Place in the Christchurch suburb of Burnside with a firearm, threatening locals with violence. He also reportedly told friends and neighbours that he slept with a loaded gun, fearing that ‘druggies’ would break in and take his morphine.

The only incident reported to the police of Shayne’s actions regarding firearms occured on the 8th of February 2009. A call was placed to the police from a neighbour of Shayne’s at 10pm that expressed concern that sounds of firearms were coming from the backyard of 7 Wadhurst Place, Shayne Sime’s property. Adding that this had happened in the past, however, concerningly, it was happening now with more frequency, five shots were fired off 10 minutes ago, bringing about this call.

The police didn’t seem too concerned and arrived the next morning to speak with Shayne. He told them that he was firing off an air pistol at a cardboard box in the backyard. Shayne showed the police the fired upon box, and the police accepted this explanation and left.

Shayne reportedly later bragged to friends and neighbours that he ‘duped’ the police and he was actually firing his shotgun that night. Adding that he knew who the ‘nark’ was, his 39-year-old neighbour at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place, concluding that he would shoot the neighbour if they ever called the police again.

28 JUNE 2009

Sunday. 28th of June 2009. 6pm. Two young men, one a neighbour of Shaynes identified in The Press newspaper later under the pseudonym ‘Richard’, the other Richard’s friend, were sitting in a car outside Shayne Sime’s address, 7 Wadhurst Place, having consumed alcohol throughout the day, and continuing to do so.

Shortly after 6pm, the two men were confronted by shotgun wielding Shayne Sime as he exited his property. The men alleged later that Shayne Sime seemed intoxicated and agitated. They also asserted that Shayne was cursing the police and his neighbours, claiming that Shayne uttered, “If the Police come here I am going to shoot the bastards. I am going out like that dude up north. I’m sick of life. That guy had some mean toys.”

Shayne was referring to a shooting that became widely known as the ‘Napier Siege’. Around two months prior, on the 7th of May 2009, New Zealand Police executed a search warrant for the house located at 41 Chaucer Road in Napier, a city of 65,000 in the Hawke’s Bay region, they were searching for cannabis. 

As the warrant was being executed, the resident of the house, a man of 51 years, Jan Molenaar opened fire on the police, killing one officer, Senior Constable Leonard Snee and wounding two others. 

The standoff with police lasted for two days, before finally ending at noon on the 9th of May 2009, when police entered the property to find Jan Molenaar dead in the master bedroom. He reportedly died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. 

The motive of the perpetrator, Jan Molenaar, can only be speculated on. He was described by those who knew him as a loner who had been depressed after the suicide of his brother. Furthermore, Jan apparently had a wild temper and an extreme dislike of authority, add in a love of guns and drugs, and you had a scenario that was heading rapidly towards darkness.

The ‘mean toys’ Shayne spoke of Jan owning included a sawed-off Remington 870 shotgun, a L1A1 SLR Battle rifle, two Ruger Mini-14 rifles with folding stocks, two Ruger 10/22 rifles, a sawed-off Winchester 1300 shotgun, a Mossberg 590 shotgun and a Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver.

Back at 7 Wadhurst Place, Christchurch, Shayne Sime now sat on his front porch ‘having a drink’ with his neighbour, Richard. The other young man, Richard’s friend, had now driven away from the property leaving Shayne and his neighbour alone to ‘have a brew’.

During this time, Shayne showed off his new purchase, a .308 rifle. Richard asked Shayne to show him how it worked, telling Shayne, half jokingly, to fire at the street light at the end of the road. Shayne took aim, putting the streetlight in his sights and fired. The bullet flew past the streetlight, missing its intended target.

The loud gunshot drew the attention of the neighbourhood. The neighbour at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place emerged, the same 39-year-old neighbour who Shayne believed was responsible for calling the police four months earlier, he asked Shayne what was going on. Just a car backfire, Shayne responded. Seemingly satisfied with that answer, the neighbour returned to his property.

After this, Shayne and his young neighbour continued to drink and chat. Their conversation veered into familiar territory for Shayne, cursing the police and his neighbours, specifically the neighbour at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place. The conversation eventually got around to what Shayne would do if the police did arrive that night. Shayne told Richard that first he would feign deafness, then retreat towards his guns before opening fire on them.

Richard didn’t believe Shayne to be serious, thinking this was just another one of Shayne’s empty threats, as he had made numerous threats of violence in the past that had never come to fruition. The threats may have made the young man uncomfortable enough to leave however, because shortly after, Richard finished his drink before saying goodbye to Shayne and returning home. 

Shayne Sime, now alone, continued to drink alcohol. Moments past and thoughts of a devilish nature wandered through Shayne’s troubled mind. Years of threats and fantasies that polluted Shayne’s distressed mentality seemingly took hold. And at 8pm on the 28th of June 2009, Shayne Sime’s twisted fantasy would finally become reality.

THE SHOOTINGS

28th of June 2009. 8pm. Sounds of gunshots began peppering the quiet Burnside neighbourhood of Wadhurst Place. Shayne Sime was observed exiting his front door and firing ‘around the neighbourhood’ with a shotgun. However, he didn’t seem to be aiming at anything in particular.

At around 8.15pm, Shayne’s attention was drawn to his neighbour’s house at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place, the neighbour that Shayne believed was responsible for calling the police earlier in the year.

Shayne began firing his shotgun toward the neighbour’s property. He fired at the neighbour’s car and the side of the house. The neighbour reportedly ‘went out to investigate’, when a shotgun blast was fired at his location. The neighbour dashed for safety but found himself injured by the blast, with shotgun pellets peppering his upper body. The injured neighbour rushed inside his house at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place, and lodged a call to 111. The neighbour informed the police that he had been shot and was now escaping over the back fence of his house.

While this was transpiring, the police began arriving, having earlier received phone calls from distressed neighbours and took shelter at the Safe Forward Point, which was the nearby Burnside High School, approximately 650m down the road from Shayne’s location. The Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) were contacted, and a cordon of armed police were set up around Wadhurst Place to keep cars and civilians from entering the area.

Time passed as police mobilised. The gunfire continued. Scared neighbours cowered in their properties. Waiting for police intervention.

At 8.46pm, Shayne Sime sent a text message to his mother that communicated: 

“Luv u mum. Souround by cops. Wasted house nex door. Prob get shot”.

Shortly after, Shayne sent another text, this time to his stepson in Australia:

“Sorry man sayin sorry shot up neibors luv ya both heaps”.

After this, Shayne’s stepson called him and urged Shayne to put down the guns and give himself up. To which Shayne replied, “You’re not the one in the chair, you’re like a son to me. I love you both heaps, see you in the next world”.

Around 9pm, the AOS team had arrived, they began closing in on and surrounding 7 Wadhurst Place. Shayne observed this and called them racial slurs, adding, “motherfuckers… come out and show yourselves you cunts so I can shoot you”.

Officers were directed to stay put for now, while officers from the Police Negotiating Team (PNT) attempted to get in contact with Shayne, while simultaneously other officers evacuated residents of the neighbourhood.

At 9.30pm, the PNT obtained Shayne’s cellphone number that he had been using to text and make calls with. At 9.34pm, the PNT made first contact with Shayne, the following conversation is a dramatisation of the partial exchange between the PNT and Shayne Sime on the 28th of June 2009, some of the language has been edited for clarity:

POLICE
I bet you’ve got a really good story to tell mate.

SHAYNE
Why, so you can talk to me

POLICE
Yeah. 

SHAYNE
Why fucking I…. and why fucking … cunts jump into my house and fucking grab me.

POLICE
No. No-one’s going to be doing that, I can assure you of that. 

SHAYNE
Naaahhh. They can try ‘cause I’m fucking ready for them.

POLICE
Yeah, no, well how do you mean you’re ready for them?

SHAYNE
Oohh [as] soon as they fucking come in the door I’m fucking ready for them.

POLICE
Yeah. Oh, look they’re not going to do that Shayne.

SHAYNE
So you send in anyone mate, they’re fucking dead. 

POLICE
Yeah, no, no, that’s the last thing we’re going to do. I don’t want to see anyone dead tonight.

SHAYNE
I got heaps of ammo and I’ve got fucking enough guns to fucking waste you mother-fuckers.

POLICE
Yeah, yeah. So tell me, what’s got you to this point mate?

SHAYNE
No, ‘cause I felt like it.

POLICE
Well, well there must be a reason.

SHAYNE
I’m not. I’m not. Do you think I’m going to go to fucking jail in a wheelchair?

POLICE
Well, why don’t you come out then and we’ll sort it all out before it gets any worse then?

SHAYNE
Oh yeah. I’ll be carrying a gun though.

POLICE
No, no, no. Don’t be carrying a gun. If you come out in your wheelchair without any firearms mate, this can all finish then and no-one can get hurt and we can all go about our normal lives. 

SHAYNE
Oh yeah. Fucking sure.

POLICE
No, no.

SHAYNE
Oh and nothing’s going to happen because I’ve fucking wasted, fuck I’ll blow, I’ve spent, I’ve put fucking heaps of rounds in my neighbour’s house.

POLICE
Yeah, well look hey look there’s obviously going to have to be, you’re going to have to answer to that sort of thing but at the, but the big thing …..

SHAYNE
Yeah.

POLICE
Yeah, but the big thing is, is no-one’s been hurt. And that’s the big thing mate.

SHAYNE
Oh fuck. Well that’s a fucking shame then. 

POLICE
Well no, no, it’s a good thing. And the good thing… 

SHAYNE
No, it’s a fucking bad thing.

POLICE
Well, why would you want to hurt anyone?

SHAYNE
Because, fucking enjoyment… My son’s, I know, my son’s not like me. 

POLICE
Yeah, but I mean, I’m sure that he doesn’t want to see his dad do this.

SHAYNE
Probably not, but.

POLICE
No, is there any way that …. Is there any way that, is there any way. Is there any way we could change your mind on what you’re doing?

SHAYNE
Nah, I’ve made my … I’ve made my mind up, I’ve had enough.

POLICE
So there’s… so there’s no… there’s no coming back. Are you saying there’s no coming back?

SHAYNE
Nah.

POLICE
So there’s nothing that you want to live for?

SHAYNE
No.

POLICE
No? You’ve done a really good job with your sons. I’m sure you’d want to be around for the grandchildren. 

SHAYNE
You fucking don’t understand.

POLICE
Well…

SHAYNE
Why fucking… why fucking live for other people when you’re having a fucked life.

POLICE
Well help me understand what’s going on with you then Shayne. You tell me what’s really…

SHAYNE
Well what do you think. I’m in a fucking chair.

POLICE
Yeah.

SHAYNE
Yeah, so…

POLICE
Yeah, but look, there’s… you’re not the only person that’s in a chair Shayne.

SHAYNE
I used to be fucking… I used to be fucking going… I was going for my black belt in karate… 

POLICE
Yeah.

SHAYNE
I was fucking going to the gym, I was going swimming. I was fucking fit as, nearly 14/15 stone, you know. I was fucking… and now I look like fucking skin and bone.

POLICE
The main thing that I’m trying to do with you tonight, Shayne, is so that, so that you and I…. 

SHAYNE
… and talk, talk me out of it and bring me out like a nice little guy and…

POLICE
… well hopefully I can…

SHAYNE
… arrest me and then take me to the fucking Police Station and fucking lock me up and then go to jail in a fucking wheelchair… 

POLICE
No, I… 

SHAYNE
… for fucking using firearms. Oh and shooting up a neighbour’s place. What fun is that, aye? Fuck off mate, there’ll be no way I’m fucking doing that. 

POLICE
Well, we can’t go away. 

SHAYNE
Oh, that’s what’s going to happen.

POLICE
Well no.

SHAYNE
If I give… if I give myself up and come out and you fucking… you… you’re going to fucking arrest me, you’re going to take me down to the fucking cop station, lock me up, fucking go to court… um… you know, the next day and fucking… and then I’ll go to jail for firing firearms in the fucking neighbourhood. Blah, blah, blah just missing people… blah, blah, blah attempted fucking murder or whatever shit and then I’ll go to jail in a fucking wheelchair…

THE END

By 10.25pm, evacuation of the nearby residents had been completed bar one elderly gentleman who could not be moved, due to his limited mobility.

Members of the police and AOS had taken positions around 7 Wadhurst Place, preparing to administer tear gas into the property. Three officers observed Shayne’s property from 3 Wadhurst Place, another five officers took refuge at 4 Wadhurst Place. They awaited further orders.

At 10.33pm, Shayne Sime exited his property. Shayne observed that a window had been opened at his neighbours, 3 Wadhurst Place. Shayne took his shotgun and aimed it at the window, firing twice. The bullets entered the window, two pellets hitting a police constable in the face.

As this transpired, another officer from 4 Wadhurst Place had readied their weapon and aimed at Shayne Sime. As the two shotgun blasts entered 3 Wadhurst Place, the officer at 4 Wadhurst Place fired upon Shayne. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Four bullets rang out in the direction of Shayne Sime, the officer then followed up with four more shots.

This volley was quickly followed by another officer from 4 Wadhurst Place firing three more rounds at Shayne, the officer looked over at 7 Wadhurst Place to see Shayne still moving, considering him to still be a threat, he fired three more times in the direction of Shayne.

Simultaneously, one officer from 3 Wadhurst Place fired twice on Shayne’s position, while two more shots came from an officer taking cover behind a nearby electrical transformer.

Silence followed… Shayne Sime was no longer firing…

After this, the AOS officers dashed in with ballistic shields in the direction of Shayne Sime. They found him, slumped over in his wheelchair, still with his prized shotgun in his hands, dead from police gunfire.

AFTERMATH

The two victims wounded by Shayne’s gunfire, one, the neighbour at [REDACTED] Wadhurst Place, the other, the police officer shot taking shelter at 3 Wadhurst Place were both taken to the hospital for their wounds. 

Fortunately, the wounds were not fatal and, in time, they both made a full recovery.

The next day, a friend of the Sime family, Ann Hicks, read a statement at the Christchurch Central Police Station prepared by the Sime family in regards to the shootings and subsequent death of Shayne Sime:

To the community of Christchurch and people of New Zealand, our extended family and friends;

Shayne was a much loved member of this family; he was a loving son, a loving brother, a loving dad to his two sons and a good person. We loved him and will miss him.

We wish to recognise and apologise to other people who were hurt and everyone else affected in the last few days.

Due to head trauma when he was 24 years old, Shayne developed a spinal disorder which over time wasted his muscles to where he was confined in a wheel chair. His cheeky sense of humour was instrumental in giving him the strength to survive against adversity.

Before his accident Shayne was a fisherman who loved his work. He was into karate and was nearly a black belt; he loved it. After his accident he worked out at a gym when he could, particularly at Burwood Hospital, which was very supportive.

Shayne and his mother were in regular contact by text most days and very regular visits to each other’s houses. She last saw him on last Friday.

We just know we loved him and will miss him.

INVESTIGATION

An investigation into the incident at 7 Wadhurst Place found that Shayne Sime had been shot five times in total. Twice in the left thigh, once in the left forefinger, once in the left chest which would have caused instantaneous death, the final bullet first ricocheted off either a wall or the entry ramp and ended up penetrating Shayne’s head, penetrating his scalp, which would have killed Shayne immediately.

A criminal investigation was carried out to find whether the officers who carried out the shooting were justified in their actions. In June of 2010, a year after the shootings, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) presented their investigation to the public. They concluded, “In shooting Shayne Richard Sime at Christchurch on 28 June 2009, Police acted lawfully in the execution of their duty, in the defence of themselves and others. There was no evidence of misconduct or neglect of duty on the part of those involved, and no decision, act or conduct was contrary to law, unreasonable, unfair or unjustified. While Police made concerted efforts to resolve the incident without the need to fire upon Mr Sime, his actions and determination rendered this an unavoidable and inevitable conclusion”.

In total, 98 shotgun shells were fired by Shayne Sime that winter evening, plus a further 12 shots from his .308 rifle causing serious damage to neighbouring homes on Wadhurst Place and the nearby Guildford Street, as well as severely damaging the local kindergarten.

Nevertheless, the ICPA wrote in their report that they believe, “… it is probable that Mr Sime was blasting into the air, knowing that Police would be called to his address by his neighbours. It is also likely that he targeted the house at number [REDACTED] in the mistaken belief that the occupant had called Police in February to report him for shooting a firearm”.

In November of 2010, a Coroner’s Report into the death of Shayne Sime ruled the death as a suicide. The coroner, Judge Ryan said he believed that Shayne didn’t set out to be shot by police, however he became ‘overwhelmed’ with the situation, concluding, “Shayne realised he only had two choices – surrender and face a prison sentence or commit suicide… Shayne had the option of ending his life by his own hand, but for reasons known only to him he did not exercise this option”.

This opinion was backed up by the police union, who said the death of Shayne Sime was a “classic case of suicide by police”.

CONCLUSION

Concluding this dreadful saga is a difficult task. On one hand, Shayne’s actions were repugnant and they need to be condemned righteously. On the other, you can’t help but feel sorrowful for the man clearly on the losing end of a battle with mental illness.

The neighbour who was drinking with Shayne shortly before the shootings, ‘Richard’, expressed his feelings on the man he had once known. Richard told the Christchurch newspaper The Press in 2009 that Shayne wanted to die but didn’t believe in suicide, Richard believes the plan was always for Shayne to lure the police to Wadhurst Place and shoot him, “I don’t think he was trying to kill anybody… He was a good guy. He didn’t deserve the way he went out.”

Shayne’s mother told The Press in 2010 that she still misses Shayne and accepts that his death was a suicide. However, whatever the circumstances, nothing could change how she feels about her son, “He was a very much-loved son, so that’s what I think about and I’ve got a lovely photo of him sitting in the lounge with a great big smile on his face.’’

The death of 42-year-old Shayne Richard Sime is a tragedy whichever way you decide to view the case.

From one angle, it’s a tragic story of a mass shooting that ends with the death of the shooter and a further two people wounded, undoubtedly causing huge amounts of mental as well as physical trauma to those involved.

From another, it is a tragic story of a man falling deeper and deeper into despondency after being dealt a lousy hand in life and seeing the only way to break free from his sadness is with the annihilation of his being.

From the third angle, it is a tragic story of a family losing a member of their clan to his crippling mental illness, all this happening in public, for all of New Zealand to witness.

SOURCES

Documents
Independent Police Conduct Authority, Public report into Police shooting of Shayne Richard Sime, https://www.ipca.govt.nz/includes/download.aspx?ID=110272

Articles
Stuff.co.nz, Gunman’s family says sorry, https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2550849/Gunmans-family-says-sorry
Stuff.co.nz, Police cleared over shooting of disabled gunman, https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3828123/Police-cleared-over-shooting-of-disabled-gunman
RNZ, Shot paraplegic gunman challenged officers – police, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/14290/shot-paraplegic-gunman-challenged-officers-police
Otago Daily Times, Family of gunman apologises, https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/family-gunman-apologises
Voxy, Operation Burnside- Message From The Family Of Shayne Sime, http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/operation-burnside-message-family-shayne-sime/5/17265
TVNZ, Gunman described as a “bit of a loner”, http://tvnz.co.nz/content/2814083/2591764/article.html
NZ Herald, Gunman wanted police to shoot him – friend, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gunman-wanted-police-to-shoot-him-friend/HEUP6P6XHBDDCIDFYF3CIW4OBA/
Stuff.co.nz, Police victim ruled suicide case, https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4396685/Police-victim-ruled-suicide-case
Wikipedia, Napier shootings, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_shootings
Stuff.co.nz, Napier gunman had ‘serious issues’, http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2399381/Napier-gunman-had-serious-issues
The Press, Police victim ruled a suicide case, https://quakestudies.canterbury.ac.nz/islandora/object/qsr-object%3A231916/datastream/OBJ/view
NZ Police, Apply for a New Zealand firearms licence, https://www.police.govt.nz/advice-services/firearms-and-safety/licences-permits-and-endorsements/apply-new-zealand-firearms?nondesktop