Cries for help on street where man died at Three Kings party

A man died after an alleged assault in Three Kings. Photo/NZN

A neighbour on a street where a 25-year-old man died after a suspected assault has described phoning police after hearing loud screams of "help".

"All I could hear was people screaming, [asking] for help... I gave the police a call," said the neighbour, who did not want to be identified.

He said the commotion from about 20 people on the street was so loud, police "could hear them from my phone".

Police are treating the 25-year-old's death as suspicious.

Police were called about 3am today following reports of a loud party at an address on Haughey Ave, in Auckland's Three Kings. The 25-year-old was found on a driveway in a critical condition, police said.

"When police arrived people had begun to disperse, however, someone has asked police for assistance with an injured person at the address, who was given CPR," police said in a statement.

"This has been unsuccessful and the man has passed away at the address."

A police spokeswoman said the man was suspected to have been assaulted.

"Police are in the early stages of their investigation, however the death is being treated as suspicious," Detective Inspector Aaron Pascoe said.

"Police are speaking to witnesses, as well as notifying the man's family. A number of people are still to be spoken to and we urge anyone who was present last night to come forward."

The neighbour said he was aware of partying at a nearby address from about 1am. He said it sounded like there was arguing - "but I couldn't understand what they were saying 'cause there was too many of them".

He said he heard the cries for help around 2.30am-3am, and phoned police, who told him to stay inside.

A scene guard remained in place this morning and inquiries were continuing to establish the circumstances around the man's death.