Out of the Blue

David Gray, an unstable man, cycles into the town and has a heated argument with staff at the local bank. He leaves in anger and returns to his parents' holiday home, where he keeps a cache of firearms. The confrontation sets the stage for the violence to come later that afternoon.

After the argument with Garry Holden, Gray returns armed and shoots him dead in a burst of rage. The killing triggers the mass shooting that will unfold across the town. Holden's death is witnessed by his family and begins the escalation of violence.

Chiquita, Jasmine, and Rewa flee the scene and try to hide inside Holden's house as Gray begins to search for them. The intensity of the moment heightens as they realize they are being hunted. This creates a tense game of cat and mouse inside a familiar home.

Chiquita, though wounded, heads towards help for Jasmine and Rewa and enlists Julie-Anne to aid. They drive in a van toward the scene only to discover Holden's house burning, and Gray fires at the vehicle to drive them away. The rescue attempt turns dangerous as the fire rages.

Nearby residents hear the chaos and Gray enters a nearby house and shoots dead both male occupants. The violence expands beyond Holden's property and into neighboring dwellings. The fear and confusion spread through the neighborhood as the night looms.

Eva Dickson and neighbor Chris Cole witness the shooting and the unfolding carnage from the street. Dickson crawls inside to call the police, while Cole is badly wounded by Gray's gunfire. Their attempted normalcy is replaced by a chilling sense of emergency.

A utility vehicle carrying six people, including three children, stops near the burning Holden house. Gray emerges and fires at the occupants, creating another deadly flare-up in the already chaotic scene. The passengers and bystanders are engulfed in fear as help remains elusive.

Sgt Stewart Guthrie, Constable Nick Harvey, and Detective Paul Knox arrive and attempt to surround Gray's house. Gray shoots Guthrie from behind, killing him; Harvey hesitates and misses a crucial opportunity to stop him. The initial police response is overwhelmed by the gunman’s rapid actions.

Detective Paul Knox reaches the utilitarian vehicle and discovers 3-year-old Stacey Percy alive but wounded. Knox and Harvey carry Stacey to paramedics and drive toward the police cordon, handing the girl over for treatment. The scene underscores the human cost of the siege.

Police seal off Aramoana as night falls, and residents retreat to their homes to wait out the siege. The gunman remains at large, casting a shadow of fear over the community. The quiet of the night contrasts with the earlier violence.

Gray enters a crib in Holden's house and spends the night there, effectively sheltering from the siege. The town endures an uneasy, tense night as authorities tighten the perimeter. This quiet interior moment stands in stark contrast to the chaos outside.

The following day, Armed Offenders Squad surrounds Gray's house and fires tear-gas canisters inside. Gray bursts out, firing wildly from the hip, and is eventually shot and killed as officers restrain him. The town begins to process the toll of the massacre.

A postscript montage shows the AOS escorting Eva Dickson in a show of respect, victims recovering in hospital, the deliberate torching of Gray's house days later, and a list of the 13 people who died. The film closes with remembrance and the human cost of the tragedy.