A man shot in a confrontation with armed officers at a central Auckland park last night has been named as 21-year-old David Cerven.
Police say they were called to Myers Park by the Slovakian national just before 7:30pm, and Cerven told them he was armed.
The armed offenders squad was called in while police negotiated with him.
The negotiations were unsuccessful, and Cervan was fatally shot when he indicated he was about to use a firearm, police say.
Cerven, who was known to police, arrived in New Zealand in March on a 12-month working holiday visa.
He was wanted in relation to the knifepoint robberies of a dairy on East Coast Rd on Saturday and two North Shore liquor stores earlier in the week.
Yesterday his image and name were released by police based on evidence found at the East Coast Rd crime scene.
Superintendent Richard Chambers says the youth's death was tragic in every sense and was reminder that anyone who threatens to use firearms will be treated seriously.
"The officers involved in last night's shooting will receive support and appropriate advice as they face up to the challenges of a homicide investigation and the microscope of the [Independent Police Conduct Authority], and internal investigations that will be carried out thoroughly," he says.
The Police Association is "fully supporting" the officers involved in the incident, saying it highlights the possibility police face every time they go to work.
"Even so, nobody goes to work expecting to be placed in a position where they are forced to shoot somebody," says president Greg O'Connor.
"Inevitably, armchair critics will speculate and make judgments about what 'could' or 'should' have been done. But the officers involved were the people who were there facing the situation, who had the training, and who were faced with the responsibility of actually making a decision."
Cerven's body was removed from the scene early this morning and will undergo a post mortem today.
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