A man has been charged with murder after a shooting which has shocked a south Auckland suburb.
Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunissen
The victim died on the footpath of Zelda Avenue in Ōtara after being shot last night.
Some residents had to find somewhere else to stay the night after armed police shut down the quiet suburban street.
They were still out in force this morning, with officers carrying automatic rifles guarding a 100m cordon and preventing people from entering - even people who live there.
Officers went to the area after receiving reports of gunfire about 10pm and found a man injured on the sidewalk.
Medical attention was provided by members of the public and police, but he died at the scene.
A black tent was set up on the sidewalk this morning which forensics teams were seen entering.
With her daughter translating, one woman said she was pulling her car into her driveway about 10pm yesterday when she heard what she was sure was a gunshot.
It sounded very close.
The woman said she was frightened and didn't leave the house until her daughter came and picked her up about 11.30am.
"She's scared, she wants to go back home [to Samoa]."
Racheal Hapimana lives about a block away.
Last night she went down the road to get some dinner and when she returned there were police everywhere.
"We were left to sit here for three hours waiting. And then the police office said we could go back but on foot. They were really jumpy and I thought he was going to put his gun on me or something so I had to show my hands that I had nothing.
"It was that scary, they were really jumpy."
Jamie-Lee Langi also heard what she now assumes to have been a gunshot.
"I just heard a really big noise. And then I came out of my room and then 10 minutes after the cops came. Yeah, it was frightening."
Other residents RNZ spoke to reported hearing multiple shots that they thought were fireworks.
A 35-year-old man, who is believed to be known to the victim, has been charged with murder and is due to appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow.
Police say they aren't looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
They are still working to confirm the identity of the victim.