Latest Northland shooting not a random attack - police

Police are investigating after a weekend shooting at the intersection of Inland and Lake Ohia Rds. Photo / Peter de Graaf.

Two men sitting in a car on the side of a Northland road who were shot and injured over the weekend were targeted by people they were linked to, say police.

Northland Police area investigations manager detective senior sergeant Mark Dalzell said inquiries were continuing after the pair suffered gunshot wounds in an incident in Lake Ohia in the Far North on Saturday morning.

But he has ruled out any link to the Puketona shooting where two men fired at a police car, narrowly missing a female officer. Those men remain on the run.

Dalzell said the pair in a vehicle were injured in the shooting, which occurred on the side of the road at the intersection of Inland and Lake Ohia Rds around 1.30am.

He said the injured men were taken to hospital, however they had since been discharged.

Police were now working to piece together the circumstances surrounding the late-night shooting in an effort to identify the occupants in the second vehicle who fired shots at the victims.

Dalzell reassured the public, saying he believed the victims and offenders were linked, and the occupants in the second vehicle targeted the wounded pair.

"We want to reassure the community that this is not believed to be a random attack," said Dalzell.

"There are multiple people who know exactly what has taken place, and we urge them to do the right thing and contact police."

He said police had no information to suggest this incident was linked to the firearms incident in Puketona where a police officer was shot at.

"We know there is some concern in the community over the two recent firearms incidents in Northland.

"I want to reassure the public that we are working hard to investigate both matters.

"Any firearms incident is unacceptable and police treat these matters seriously. We will continue to work hard to identify those responsible so they can be held to account," said Dalzell.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Kaitaia Police on 105, quoting file number 201107/9132, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.