Police say they are now treating the death of hit-and-run victim Jordan Herewini as a homicide.
Sixteen-year-old Jordan died after gang tensions in the small forestry town of Murupara, 63km southeast of Rotorua, turned violent on Tuesday night.
The teenager had no gang affiliations but was run down and killed by a Toyota ute stolen from his family home as rivalry between the Tribesmen and Mongrel Mob gangs boiled over.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper, of Rotorua CIB, said it appeared that Jordan and his family were mistakenly identified by members of the out-of-town Mongrel Mob as being Tribesmen associates. Jordan's older brother, Mahu, said his brother was not a gang member.
"You can't be in the gang and go to school," he told the Dominion Post.
Jordan was "tailed" because he was wearing a yellow T-shirt, the colour of the Tribesmen gang.
"He was wearing his yellow school PE T-shirt and riding his bike. How can that be threatening?"
Jordan was run down after earlier incidents in the town involving the gangs, who had armed themselves with a range of weapons, Mr Loper said today.
"There is a long list of persons that police are seeking to talk to."
He expected the interviews would last well into next week. In the meantime, police were keen to hear from anyone who saw Jordan being run over or had any information about the driver of the ute. Mr Loper said. Mahu Herewini said the family was not looking for revenge but was focusing on Jordan's tangi and burial.
"There will be time to discuss what will happen after that."
Jordan's body lay in an open casket at Rangitahi Marae in Murupara yesterday as family and friends paid their respects.
He is to be buried at Te Kaha today next to his father, Ngunguru-o-te-Rangi, who was killed in a forestry accident.
