Killed for wearing blue

The Herald reports:

The parents of an innocent 21-year-old man who was murdered in South Auckland after being mistaken for a rival gang member are grieving after losing a son and their main source of income, the High Court in Auckland has heard.

Two Bloods gang members behind the 2019 fatal shooting of Samiuela Anania Tupou – known as Sam – in Ōtāhuhu were today sentenced to life imprisonment.

Tupou’s family attended today’s sentencing.

Tupou was shot and killed by Tapusoa early on Saturday, May 25 at Seaside Park, while he socialised with his cousin and friends. He was wearing a blue singlet, and blue is associated with the Crips gang, but Tupou was not part of any gang.

A member of rival gang Bloods, Tapusoa was on the hunt for Crips members – known as “searching for crabs”. Tinei was driving the car.

Tupou approached the car the two men were in. He was shot in the chest, top right thigh and back. The men fled in the car as Tupou fell to ground, where he died.

So they shot him because of the colour of his skin and the colour of his singlet. Cold blooded murder.

One of the killers has previous form for wounding and injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after attacking again random strangers.

He should not be eligible for parole.