House of singer “Sweet & Irie” in Auckland targeted by shooting – grandchildren “were lucky” not to be hit

The home of a popular South Auckland musician and social media star was riddled with bullets in a shooting in the middle of the night.

Police are investigating today after a house on Plumley Cres came under fire. Children were reported missing from one of the rooms.

Edward Ru, also known as Sweet & Irie, shared videos on Facebook last night of the smashed windows in his grandchildren’s front bedroom where they were sleeping.

Ru told his 65,000 Facebook followers that someone had “shot at the house” before showing bullet holes in the windows.

“All my children slept in this bedroom,” he said, pointing to a broken window with at least five holes in it.

“Thank the Lord none of them were hit.”

On his second account, “Edward W Ru,” which has 13,000 followers, he said he counted at least 33 bullet holes in the side of his house.

“13 bullet holes here, a good 20 or so here.

“I really didn’t think I had disrespected anyone so much that you would actually come here and shoot at the bedroom of my daughter, my grandson and me.

“Tonight the situation could be different.”

He said his granddaughter told him she thought he was “hammering in the garage,” but it was getting “louder and louder.”

He claimed that the shooters “looked into the rooms” before standing outside and opening fire.

A police spokesman said they responded to reports that a firearm had been fired at an address on Plumley Cres at around 8.39pm.

The investigation will continue today and the Māngere community should expect an increased police presence in the area.

“Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this connection,” the spokesman said.

“We encourage anyone else who has been in the area or has helpful information and has not yet spoken to us to please get in touch.”

This morning, two police officers stood outside the house while others took photos of the damage and examined the crime scene.

A reporter at the scene said a car parked in the driveway also appeared to have been caught in the crossfire and its rear window was shattered.

They also said that the front window of the building had a large hole through which several bullets appeared to have penetrated.

Ru said he recently had the windows replaced so they were “extra thick.”

In tears, he told his supporters that he was not crying “because he was afraid,” but because he was angry.

“I can’t believe that people would try to kill a man and his family. And why? We don’t know why.”

A police spokesman said they were called to Plumley Cres in Māngere after receiving several 911 calls.

Last night the address was cordoned off and guarded by several armed officers.

Photos from the crime scene show that several bullets penetrated the doors and windows of the house.

Last night’s incident follows a series of drive-by shootings in recent weeks, including a shooting outside a family home on Roscommon Road on the border with Weymouth in south Auckland and another drive-by shooting in a cul-de-sac in Glen Innes.

In early June, two houses were attacked in one night – one in Onehunga and a second in Māngere East.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based breaking news reporter who worked for the Herald since 2022.