Police are still hunting for the gunman who shot dead a 23-year-old Hamilton man over the weekend.
Robert Nelson's mother has told 1 NEWS her son died trying to protect his girlfriend, and she has no idea who's responsible.
Together with her son Koenraad, Dannette Vrijs has made a desperate plea for help finding the killer.
“If there's someone out there that knows something, can you say something, 'cause my son didn’t deserve to die like that” she said.
Robert Nelson was shot dead early Sunday morning at his girlfriend Kahlee-Leanne Kaye Marfell's house in the Hamilton suburb of Melville.
His mother says the pair were getting ready for bed when a gunman entered and fired at Kahlee.
“She just said that she got shot, she went running down the hallway to Robert, and she said that Robert tried to tell them to stop, that they didn’t need to do that.
“Then they must have continued shooting and he jumped on top of her to save her,” she said.
Tonight, the 20-year-old is in a serious but stable condition in Waikato Hospital.
A 17-year-old who was also shot, remains critical.
Police are still searching for whoever is responsible but believe the attack was targeted and there's no risk to public safety.
They won't confirm whether or not the shooting was gang-related.
Robert’s mother says she plans to take his body home tonight, following a post-mortem examination.
“I want him to be at home where we all love him, where we can touch him 'cause they haven’t even let me see him and all I want to do is just give him a cuddle.”
Dannette Vrijs said Robert and Kahlee had been together for five years.
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