A wheelchair-bound gunman’s fitness to hold a firearms licence is being investigated, but his family say he was a good person and loving father who overcame adversity. Shayne Sime, 42, was shot dead by police on Sunday after firing more than 100 rounds from his Christchurch home, wounding a policeman and a neighbour and hitting buildings including a preschool in surrounding streets. Yesterday his family said: “We do wish to recognise and apologise to other people who were hurt and everyone else affected in the last few days.” It has emerged that Mr Sime, who suffered from a head injury and a spinal disorder that was wasting away his muscles, was drinking, was in a suicidal state and made threats to police. Mr Sime was a licensed firearms holder, despite criminal convictions in his past. Police were called out to his home in February after reports of a gun being fired on his property, which turned out to be a BB gun. Two shotguns and a high-powered .308 rifle were found in his house after Sunday’s confrontation. Gun control advocate Philip Alpers warned that New Zealand’s liberal gun laws and 10-year licence period meant the country was taking a gamble with gun owners. “Will this person succumb to all the normal human foibles including alcohol, depression, mental illness, some time during the next 10 years? And the licensing officer has to make that guess.” Mr Sime’s family described him yesterday as a much loved son and brother, a loving father of two sons and a good …