Three people have been tracked down and are assisting police with their enquiries after a shooting in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on Thursday morning culminated in a second police operation in nearby Ōrākei.
The Armed Offenders Squad was called to luxury hotel the Sofitel on Auckland's waterfront just after 9am, following reports a firearm had been discharged.
No one was injured in the incident, but it's understood the same police vehicles and ambulances sent to that initial incident were quickly rerouted to the Ōrākei Domain, 7km away. The adjacent Ōrākei Marae was placed into lockdown in response.
Detective Senior Sergeant Graham Shand says one person has been located at the hotel and is helping with enquiries while a scene examination is carried out. Another two people have been located at a property in Ōrākei and are also being questioned by officers, he says.
Photos earlier showed police in place on the corner of Tamaki Dr and Kitemoana St, which was blocked off to motorists and pedestrians.
Ōrākei School, a few streets back from the domain, said it hadn't been asked to lockdown like the marae, but confirmed an Eagle helicopter had been circling the area.
The Ōrākei Community Association urged those in the area to stay indoors and told motorists to avoid Kupe St.
The school and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia say police have now left the scene.
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The incident in Ōrākei came just hours after the Armed Offenders Squad was called to the Sofitel Viaduct Harbour on Thursday. A police spokesperson told Newshub they hadn't received any reports of injuries, but armed officers had been called in as a precaution.
"Police are currently making a number of enquiries to establish exactly what has happened and those enquiries are ongoing. No further information is available at this early stage," they said.
A Sofitel Viaduct employee told Newshub there was a "security threat" earlier and shots fired, but confirmed everything is now under control.
Police remain at the scene.
A witness told Stuff they saw three well-built masked men dressed in black running away from the hotel shortly after gunfire was heard - two running towards Fanshawe St and another towards Halsey St.
A St John spokesperson said they responded after being notified of an incident in central Auckland at 9:08am. One ambulance and one rapid response unit were sent, but they left the scene as no one required treatment.
A Sofitel guest told Newshub the whole thing was "a bit scary".
"We came down for breakfast about 9am and it had virtually happened just then," he said. "It's a bit like an adventure; it doesn't really happen very often at New Zealand hotels."
