Man shot dead after opening fire at police officers, injuring three
Monday, 29 November 2021
A man has been shot dead after opening fire on police officers, injuring three.
Armed police tried to negotiate with the man at a property in West Auckland but “matters escalated” when the man became “agitated and aggressive” over a 30-minute period.
He then fired at officers, injuring three, one seriously. None of the officers’ injuries are life-threatening.
Police returned fire on the man, who died at the scene despite first aid being provided.
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All three of the injured police officers, two of whom have “moderate” injuries, are being treated at Auckland Hospital. One has undergone surgery.
The officers suffered their injuries in areas of the body not covered by body armour, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said.
Police said a critical incident investigation was underway, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority and Worksafe had been notified.
The incident, which also involved a house fire and reports of an “explosion”, unfolded early on Monday morning.
Police, an Eagle helicopter and fire trucks descended on Danube Ln, a short no-exit street coming off Maywood Cres in Glen Eden.
Residents reported hearing an “explosion” shortly after 8am, and saw smoke rising from a property a short while later.
Police arrived at the scene “within minutes” of being notified at 8.17am, and found the property already on fire.
One resident reported seeing an armed man standing outside a house in Danube Ln at around 8.30am.
A video taken by the resident about 20 minutes later shows more than a dozen armed officers outside the property.
A Stuff reporter on the scene said one person was brought out from the garden of the home at the centre of the incident and was given first aid.
A spokeswoman for St John said they were called to the incident shortly after 8.20am, with two ambulances sent to the scene.
One Maywood Cres resident said she was preparing her children for the school commute when a neighbour told her there was a man with a gun on their street.
She heard an explosion earlier shortly after 8am, and called an ambulance.
“It sounded massive, my son thought it was a bomb,” she said.
She said she heard multiple rounds of gunfire before seeing a man, who appeared to be a police officer, hit. Another man was shot shortly after, she said.
“He was injured and police performed CPR right away,” she said.
The resident said neighbours in the area were “pretty shaken up” as the latest incident is the latest in a string to occur in Glen Eden.
Coster said he was concerned about the escalation of violence, and his 'heart sank' when he got the call about the shooting.
But he ruled out the possibility of general arming of police in Auckland in response to the incident.
By lunchtime, Maywood Cres was still cordoned off to the public, with police officers continuing to search the burnt property and surrounding streets.
On Sunday night, a police officer was injured in a hit-and-run while responding to a burglary on Great North Rd in New Lynn.
The officer is at Auckland Hospital in a serious but stable condition, and was expected to undergo surgery on Monday.