The violence has raised questions about why he was released in January after serving a non-parole period of four years of his six-year sentence, given his extensive criminal history. Mr McNairn said his department had recommended Hoffmann get parole and he had asked the Parole Board chair to provide a report on him. The deadly violence started at 5.39pm at the Palm Motel where Hoffmann allegedly shot and killed taxi driver Hassan Baydoun, who was on a meal break. A 22-year-old woman at the Palm was shot in the legs and is in hospital in a stable condition. Over the next hour, the shooter went on to kill 52-year-old casino security guard Rob Courtney at a home in Jolly St, Woolner, a 75-year-old in Gardens Hill Crescent and a man, 57, in the car park of the Buff Club in Stuart Park.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 05, 2019 21:00 UTC