Auckland, March 5 NZPA - Coroner Gordon Matenga says he won't have an easy task finding recommendations following the inquest into the death of courier driver Halatau Naitoko from a police bullet last year.

Mr Naitoko, 17, was shot dead by police chasing Stephen Hohepa McDonald as he was brandishing a gun on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway on January 23 last year.

The inquest at Auckland Coroner's Court ended today after a week of testimony from police officers, including the two armed offenders squad (AOS) officers who fired shots at McDonald that day.

It ended with an emotional statement from Mr Naitoko's mother, Ivoni Fuimaono, who said her son's death had caused prolonged grief.

"On the 23rd of January 2009 a burning arrow went into my body which left me with an unbearable heartache," Ms Fuimaono told Auckland Coroner's Court today.

She said the family had tried to find ways to deal with it, "but the more we tried, the more painful it became".

A tearful Ms Fuimaono said it had been particularly painful for Mr Naitoko's grandmother.

"Every time she hears a helicopter or a police car she shakes and runs into the house and says 'go and hide, the police will shoot us just like Halatau'."

Ms Fuimaono said she was sure the officers involved had been greatly shaken and she hoped something could be done to ensure an incident such as this does not happen again.

"I believe one day someone, somewhere will do something similar or worse than Mr McDonald. And I wonder whether the police and the AOS will be ready to deal with it," she said

"How will I know that I'm safe with my children? How will I know that this will never happen again to another family?"

Mr Matenga, who reserved his decision, said it was difficult to know what to say after Ms Fuimaono's statement, "except to say that I have a very difficult task ahead of myself".

"I don't think anybody could help but be affected by what you said."

Officers present told the inquest this week that McDonald had been on a crime rampage that day, stealing cars, driving recklessly and shooting at the police helicopter and pursuing police behind him.

After he was stopped by a road block on the westbound side of the Northwestern Motorway, he got out of his car and ran into the citybound side, waving his weapon as he tried to get into a truck.

Three AOS officers pursued him. Two, known only as A81 and A84, aimed shots at McDonald. He was hit by one, but another bullet also killed Mr Naitoko, who was in a van which had stopped along with several other vehicles after McDonald ran onto the motorway.

The officer whose bullet killed Mr Naitoko said he was sickened when he heard of the death, but also said that "presented with an exact same situation I would do again what I did".

"There was certainly a very clear and present danger which was presented by Mr McDonald, requiring police to act quickly for the protection of the public," Mr Matenga said at the end of today's hearing.

However, with the great responsibility given to police, there was also a very high standard expected of them, he said.

Mr Matenga asked for lawyers for all parties to send final written submissions to him. He also said he may consider asking for further evidence.

Outside the hearing, Naitoko family spokesman Peter Sykes said the family felt satisfied at the way the inquest had been conducted.

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