Just after midnight on January 14, the Herald understands Timmins, 60, is alleged to have opened fire on his wife and her two sons in a property in the town of Wait\u0101rere Beach, about 70km south of Whanganui.<\/p>\n
One of the two young men, who were aged 17 and 21, is then understood to have fatally stabbed Timmins allegedly in self-defence. <\/p>\n
Laurie Johnston said Timmins used a handgun and praised the actions of his grandson to prevent a greater tragedy. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, that young fella should get a bloody medal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manawat\u016b area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said police were called to the property about 7.15pm on January 13 after someone reported discovering what they believed to be a firearm on the property.<\/p>\n
Police then located and seized a dismantled firearm, firearms parts and ammunition, but nobody residing at the property held a firearms licence, Grantham said.<\/p>\n
Five hours later, emergency services responded to a reported shooting at the property. <\/p>\n
Johnston expressed exasperation that his son-in-law could return to the Wait\u0101rere Beach Rd property a second time after the protection order was in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were assured that they would be protected. He was not allowed on the property, not allowed in the bloody main road,\u201d Laurie Johnston said of his understanding of the protection order in place. <\/p>\n
Timmins\u2019 sister has also told the Herald he was not allowed at the Wait\u0101rere Beach Rd property as part of his bail conditions.<\/p>\n
Laurie Johnston claims that when Timmins was arrested related to the family violence incident on January 9 he had threatened violence against his wife and her two sons as he was taken away.<\/p>\n
Police prepare to remove a body from a property on Wait\u0101rere Beach Rd after a shooting that left a man dead and three others in hospital. Photo \/ Mike Scott<\/p>\n
Police have confirmed Johnston and her two sons have been released from hospital and are continuing to recover. The trio spent weeks in critical condition, as police waited to speak with them about the night of the shooting. <\/p>\n
This week, Detective Inspector Craig Sheridan said: \u201cWe can also confirm they have been interviewed by police, as part of our inquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Timmins\u2019 and Johnston\u2019s 9-year-old daughter was also present during the shooting but was unharmed. She made a 111 \u201cnon-speech emergency call\u201d shortly after midnight to alert authorities. <\/p>\n
Laurie Johnston said she was clearly traumatised by her exposure to such violence but, with a naturally quiet disposition, it was hard to tell to what extent.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a quiet wee thing. She doesn\u2019t make any noises,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
The grandfather was also hopeful the injured trio would make a full physical recovery but said it would be a slow process. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re out of hospital but they\u2019re not out of the woods.<\/p>\n
\u201c[She\u2019s] doing well, but she\u2019s got a hell of a long way to go. She was very traumatised. [But] she\u2019s coming on leaps and bounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson said he and his wife had visited his daughter and Timmins fairly recently because they were concerned about the state of their relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife and I went down and had a bit of a discussion with them, a little bit before all this happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we were concerned that things were going to fall apart and then they turned around and said, \u2018no, no, everything\u2019s sorted out\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laurie Johnston said the ordeal has had a huge emotional impact on him and the entire family. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll tell you what, it shattered me. That\u2019s for bloody sure, yeah.\u201d <\/p>\n
Timmins was due in court on the day of his death, January 14, over the two alleged family harm-related incidents days earlier.<\/p>\n
The Herald earlier revealed Timmins had an extensive history before the courts<\/a> that spanned drug and firearm convictions, as well as several employment disputes.<\/p>\n Court documents show seven different litigations initiated by Timmins since 2006. These documents are often appeals of other historical convictions, such as possession of a firearm without a licence in 1996.<\/p>\n Timmins also initiated several Employment Relations Authority cases against his employers.<\/p>\n In 2019, he was convicted for cultivation of cannabis, unlawful possession of ammunition and theft. Among several illegal items found at Timmins\u2019 Whanganui property were 58 cannabis plants and 204 rounds of ammunition.<\/p>\n Timmins also spent time as a security contractor in Iraq, after serving in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment from 1987-95.<\/p>\nThe sister of Benjamin Timmins, Rachel O’Grady, and other family members hold a karakia at a Wait\u0101rere Beach Rd property after a family shooting last month. Photo \/ Mike Scott<\/p>\n