Grey Lynn shooting: A teenage gunman who shot and killed a rival following a long-running dispute has been spared the standard life sentence typically imposed for murder.
Maxwel-Dee Repia, 18, was fatally shot on September 5, 2024, on Tuarangi Rd in Grey Lynn after months of showing up at a local house and making threats toward those inside.
A few days after the incident, 19-year-old Kayden Stanaway was taken into custody. In the High Court at Auckland last year, he admitted responsibility for Repia’s death and also pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to three others injured in the shooting — David Lucas, Sione Salt, and Daniel Kalekale.
According to the agreed summary of facts, Stanaway fired the gun believing he was acting in self-defence, but “his response was unreasonable in relation to the threat he believed he and his associates faced.”
During Wednesday’s sentencing, Justice Graham Lang described the shooting as reckless “at the very highest level,” adding that it came close to being an “intentional killing.”
In his sentencing remarks, the judge noted that both prosecutors and defence lawyers agreed that imposing a life sentence on Stanaway — now 20 — would be manifestly unjust.
(Murder convictions usually result in mandatory life imprisonment. However, the Court of Appeal has previously recognized that young offenders may have a mix of mitigating circumstances tied both to the offence and their personal background that can justify departing from that standard penalty.)
Justice Lang stressed that the punishment still had to reflect that Repia lost his life and acknowledge the “catastrophic consequences” his death has had on his whanau and friends.
Stanaway was ultimately sentenced to 16 years in prison and must serve at least half before he can apply for parole.
Escalating tensions
Hostility between the two groups began in early 2024 when Stanaway started dating the former girlfriend of someone from Repia’s circle.
Soon afterward, Repia allegedly tried to punch Stanaway through a car window. The two prepared to fight, but the confrontation fizzled out.
In February, a 13-year-old friend of Stanaway was assaulted in the street by Repia and others, who also took his bag containing $50. Stanaway’s group later retaliated by grabbing a bag with cash and a phone from one of Repia’s associates.
On St Patrick’s Day, Repia and several companions allegedly went to Stanaway’s home in Grey Lynn and threatened his 13-year-old sister. Her father came outside and saw Repia holding what looked like a firearm. The agreed facts state Repia attempted to shoot him, but no shot was fired.
Repia also struck Stanaway’s cousin, knocking him down. After hearing about the threat against his sister, Stanaway armed himself with a crowbar and hammer. Police were not contacted.
Within the next two weeks, Stanaway’s father discovered a hole in the front door that he believed was caused by a pellet or bullet. Again, police were not notified, though Kainga-Ora repaired the damage.
Around 1 a.m. on March 29, Repia and others allegedly returned to the house carrying a crowbar and looking for a fight. They smashed a window in the home, broke a car window, and spray-painted it.
Stanaway grabbed a cricket bat while the group tried to force their way through the front door. He, his father, and his cousin managed to hold them off. Police were called this time, and soon afterward the two sides agreed to a temporary truce.
That peace lasted only a few months. On August 16 at about 10:20 p.m., Repia and his associates allegedly came back, forced open the door, and entered the house while Stanaway’s father and 17-year-old sister were inside. They demanded the keys to Stanaway’s new motorbike. One of them picked up a bottle and held it by the neck, making the father think it might be used as a weapon. The group eventually left, after which the sister called police and the father phoned Stanaway.
Stanaway rushed home and saw one of Repia’s associates striking his friend on the head with a bottle. He drove his car toward members of the group, hitting at least one, then circled back to prevent further attacks. Police arrived shortly afterward.
Less than two weeks later, Stanaway sent Instagram messages to David Lucas, writing: “Pull up wiv you little shotty fag” and “Tell your big homie Max to pull up got a clip with his name on it.” The two exchanged taunts, and Lucas responded with a photo of himself holding a shotgun.
Shots fired
The feud reached its breaking point on September 5, when Repia and his companions spotted Stanaway driving and began chasing him.
They later went to his Grey Lynn home, threw rocks through the windows, and filmed the damage. At about 4:22 p.m., Stanaway’s father phoned police and then called his son.
Stanaway returned and stood outside in the driveway as evening approached. Some of his friends also arrived after being invited to his brother’s 14th birthday gathering. Meanwhile, the two groups continued exchanging calls and online messages.
Stanaway texted Repia, “Or I’ll kidnap your dad.”
At 6:01 p.m., Repia replied, “ir ur not there then im gna Kidnap ur dad.”
In other messages, Repia wrote, “No fanas, just 1on1s so it doesn’t cause a scene…we’ll all take turns.”
By about 6:43 p.m., more of Stanaway’s associates had shown up. He later claimed two people from Repia’s side threatened to shoot a rottweiler.
Stanaway stood beside the open door of a car parked on the curb. Across the street, Lucas — who had earlier sent the shotgun photo — held a backpack. Daniel Kalekale carried a cylindrical item that may have been a baseball bat, later found with blood on it.
Repia stepped into the road with his hands raised as if inviting a fistfight, then moved back toward the sidewalk. Lucas started walking closer to Stanaway’s group. Kalekale lifted his arm toward Stanaway, as did Sione Salt, before lowering them.
Believing someone among them had a firearm, Stanaway reached into his vehicle and grabbed a long-barrelled .22 calibre rifle. Bracing his elbows on the car roof, he quickly fired four rounds at the group, striking Repia, Lucas, Salt, and Kalekale.
“Mr Stanaway fired these shots in self-defence but his response was unreasonable in relation to the threat he believed he and his associates faced.”
Repia suffered a single gunshot wound near the center of his chest. Salt and Lucas were hit in the face, with bullets lodging in their necks, and Kalekale was shot near the side of his chest.
Right after the shots rang out, the wounded men and others fled. Repia staggered a short distance before collapsing and dying. The other three were taken to Auckland City Hospital.
Stanaway left the scene in a car driven by Destry Watts. He was located in Pukekohe several days later and arrested.
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