Gunman armed with stolen rifle

Investigators scour the scene of the New Lynn shootout for bullets yesterday. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A West Auckland man seriously wounded when police shot him was armed with an air rifle he had allegedly stolen from a neighbour.

Officers refused to say yesterday who fired first as they tried to arrest 38-year-old beneficiary Shannon Lawson at his mother's New Lynn property on Sunday night.

Waitemata district commander Superintendent Bill Searle said eight armed police were sent to the address "to apprehend a man wanted in relation to an arson".

Lawson has been charged with assault and Mr Searle said last night that further charges were likely. He refused to talk about the alleged arson.

On Sunday, he told media "shots were fired at police and police fired back".

But yesterday he said staff from outside the Waitemata district had been called in to investigate how the shootout played out.

Mr Searle would not confirm the rifle was stolen, but a source said its owner lived across the neighbouring Manuka Park and had been spoken to by police.

Mr Searle would not say whether Lawson had a criminal record but the partner of a relative - who was next door during the shooting - said he was "in and out of jail".

The man said Lawson slept in his mother's garage when he needed somewhere to stay, and brother Dale used a caravan on the property.

A neighbour said their mother was a nice person. "She's lovely and always says 'hi', but he [Shannon Lawson] has been the cause of domestic disturbances before. It's a shame for her."

Lawson was last night under police guard and in a satisfactory condition in the plastic surgery ward of Middlemore Hospital. He was transferred there from Auckland City Hospital yesterday afternoon.

Lance Brett, who lives in the same row of units as the Lawson family, was home on Sunday night when the gunshots rang out.

"Then I saw a police dog get out barking and heard them yelling, 'Get on the ground'."

Mr Brett said it seemed like there were "about 15" officers, not eight.

Mr Searle was vague about why such a large police team was needed.

"The police armed themselves based on information they had at the time. They carried out a threat assessment based on the best information they had at that time and made the decision to take firearms with them because of that threat assessment."

A local superette owner said Lawson often asked for loans. She had one of his bank cards behind the counter with an IOU note for $25.70.

"He said, 'Can you just give me all this credit. I will definitely pay on Wednesday'," the woman said.

"He said, 'I am a really honest man now. I will pay on Wednesday. Please give me, please give me'."

The woman was too scared to refuse, as she was in the shop alone.

Another resident named Chris said Lawson's photograph was recently displayed on a local petrol station wall, banning him from entry.

Further up Nikau St, a resident said the brothers were friends with his neighbour and used to often sit outside, drinking.

But since the neighbour went to jail he had not seen the brothers, he said.