'At night I picture that gun aiming at us': Glen Eden resident has flashbacks, too scared to drive home

Flashbacks of a gunman pointing his firearm at a Glen Eden woman and her partner - while their young children were nearby - have haunted her as she tries to sleep.

Kayla Taueki sat in her car for almost half an hour after picking up dinner following Monday's shooting, willing herself to drive down her street where earlier that day she feared for her life.

Her partner had called to their neighbour on Danube Lane on Monday morning to check if he was okay because his house was burning down. They did not realise he was armed.

Kayla Taueki was at home in Glen Eden when a man pointed a gun in her face. Photo / Supplied

One of their four children had spotted the fire from their window while they were eating breakfast.

"We were first ones outside. My partner ran out, got as far as our gate and was asking the defendant if everyone was alright.

"He pointed the gun at my partner and said 'F*** you, you lit my house on fire, you're effing creeping around my house'.

"One of my children was on the other side of my partner on the fence. I thought, 'Oh my God, he's got his gun pointed at us, he could shoot any one of us'.

"I froze and was just shaking."

Taueki's partner told her to get inside with their children, who are all under the age of 7.

"Once I was able to get out of the old man's sight with my son, I ended up coming inside, grabbing my other babies and we just ducked down in the room."

She rang firefighters and police, and warned other residents who were running down Maywood Cres that the man had a firearm.

They were running to help him because the state home he lived in was engulfed in flames. Thick black smoke had filled the air.

A property on Danube Ln where the man lived was engulfed in flames on Monday morning. Photo / Dean Purcell

The man then fired two shots, Taueki said.

"One neighbour got in his driveway and I'm yelling from my window 'Watch out!' and then all I see is him running out of the defendant's driveway and back to his house. The defendant followed him up to his house."

Taueki said the gunman then came back and stood and watched his house go up in flames. Other residents told the Herald he walked around on the pavement holding the firearm.

The Armed Offenders Squad arrived but after 30 minutes of negotiations, and after the man opened fire and injured three officers, they returned fire.

He died at the scene. The road was cordoned off. Residents weren't allowed back home until around 7pm.

Taueki believes the man accused her partner of setting his house on fire because they were first to respond.

The gunman opened fire and injured three police officers during the stand off. Photo / Supplied

She had the "little meltdown" while picking up dinner because it had grown dark outside and the fatal shooting began replaying in her head.

"When I got back home, [my partner] said, 'What's the matter?' and I just burst out crying.

"I couldn't turn down my street. I was saying to my partner, there was something stopping me from turning down my street.

"I sat out on Glengarry Rd for 20 minutes, nearly half an hour, trying to convince myself to turn down the [street]."

She said the trauma is worse at night.

"It was more when we got the gun pointed at us, is where the trauma starts with me. At night I just picture in my head that gun aiming at us."

She is shaken up after a spate of shootings across West Auckland in recent months, including one on Virgo Pl last week, just a few streets away from her home, allegedly between Comanchero and Head Hunters gang members.

She has thought about moving out of the neighbourhood, where she has lived for more than four years.

"I really like the area but after all these incidents in the past month, it's getting too close to home and the one [on Monday] was really close to home.

"We actually just literally watched a man get shot to death."

Police continued a scene examination at the Danube Ln property on Tuesday. Photo / Dean Purcell

Police are completing formal identification of the man and notifying next of kin.

Locals who filmed the shooting are being encouraged to assist police with their investigations.

Waitematā District Commander Naila Hassan said the man had opened fire on officers first.

Three officers who were shot are being well supported, she said.

"One of the officers has been discharged from Auckland Hospital, one is expected to be released today and the third officer who underwent surgery remains in a stable condition.

"We understand yesterday's events were upsetting to the community and we hope our continued presence will be of some reassurance," said Hassan.

A critical incident investigation is under way, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority and WorkSafe have been notified as is standard practice.

Man 'quiet, kept to himself'

Police have not yet identified the man who shot three officers.

Glen Eden residents have told the Herald he was aged in his 50s, and lived in a state home by himself.

Taueki said he had lived in the Danube Lane home for at least four years.

"He was hardly out, he always kept to himself, he was pretty quiet. The only time I'd see him out was when he was walking his dogs.

"He'd say hello when he was out. When you see him out on the street walking his dogs he seems like a humble old man."

Another neighbour told the Herald he had caused no issues previously, and his death was a shock.