West Auckland shooting: Man dead after opening fire on three police officers

  

A man has been shot dead after injuring three officers when he opened fire on them this morning, police say.

The three officers are in Auckland Hospital in a stable condition - two with moderate injuries and one with serious injuries. Their injuries are not life threatening, police say.

Police were called to an address in Glen Eden, West Auckland, just after 8am this morning after reports of shots being fired and a house on fire.

The armed offenders squad tried to negotiate with the man at a property on Danube Lane but he shot at them, and they returned fire, according to a police statement.

"First aid treatment was given but tragically the man died at the scene. We are working to notify the man's next of kin and will be providing them with support at this difficult time...

"Police will provide support to the injured officers and their families as they recover. Police now have a critical incident investigation underway, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority and WorkSafe have been notified as is standard practice."

 Armed police have been stationed at the scene.

An RNZ reporter at the scene said there were at least seven police vehicles and visible smoke.

A woman who lives on Danube Lane in Glen Eden heard gunshots this morning when police were already at the scene.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said the street was still cordoned off but appeared to be "calm and quiet" at 11am.

Other residents have been waiting at the roadside for access to their houses.

They said they worried about the safety their family members who were at home and felt scared about such incidents.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster will address media this afternoon.

Waitākere Ward city councillor Linda Cooper said there was a worrying level of gun violence in the city.

Police had responded to several gun incidents recently and were doing very good and brave work, she said.

She wanted her community to feel safe but said firearms violence was an issue right around the region.

"I mean that would worry anybody but I think it's not just West Auckland, is it. Things are happening on the North Shore and South Auckland and I think everyone is worried about that, but I think at the moment this is something the police need to deal with and they need to deal with it very effectively."

There have been a number of incidents in the area recently, some gang-related or involving shootings and some that have left police and residents injured or scared

Last night, a police officer was hit by a fleeing vehicle while laying down spikes to stop suspected burglars fleeing an incident.

He, too, is in Auckland Hospital and police are searching for an unknown number of occupants of the car.

Recently Robert Hart, a 40-year-old father of two, was shot and killed in broad daylight on his driveway on Great North Road on 5 November.

Three people have been charged with murder which police say was a senseless killing in a driveway.

A few days later a woman was taken to hospital in a critical condition after being shot - a man has been charged. 

There have been reports of police being called to the area to break up confrontations between rival gangs.

Residents told RNZ they were scared after three shootings in 10 days in November

The Police Association said it was "deeply concerned" - both for the for the officers injured and the family of the person who died.

Association vice-president Mike McRandle said, in a statement: "It is dreadful that a person has died, and also it is an enormous strain on the officers put in a position of having to return fire.

"Using lethal force is the most difficult decision for a police officer and has long-lasting ramifications. Accordingly, the association is offering all available welfare to these members and ensuring the best support for them and their families."

Today's shooting was "yet another example of the terrible consequences of the proliferation of easily accessible firearms throughout New Zealand communities", McRandle said.

"Earlier today we read that there were more than 900 firearm offences in Auckland this year alone. In the past five years 350 people have been shot and injured across Auckland. Daily there are incidents of innocent members of the public being caught in gun violence, armed robberies and car-jackings, inter-gang warfare with firearms involved, and police officers also being shot at.

"We are witnessing a policing environment that is progressively more and more dangerous and it is no surprise to the association that the majority of its constabulary members believe they need to be armed."

Source RNZ