Police at the scene in Glen Eden last night.
Video / Hayden Woodward / NZME
A witness has described the dramatic moment a person was shot in a violent disorder incident involving multiple people in West Auckland last night that left neighbours and passersby terrified.
One person was taken to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition with an “injury consistent with a gunshot wound”, while two men were arrested - with a firearm taken from the scene - and were to appear in court today, acting Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Bartlett said this morning.
The witness was driving past Westlight Apartments on Waikumete Rd in Glen Eden about 8pm when he saw “guys in balaclavas standing on the road trying to grab a female from outside [the] apartment block”.
“The next thing the apartment roller door opened and a guy came out of the apartments and started blasting. One guy was shot and his mates picked him up and put him in a van and drove off.
“I drove past and turned my car around. I thought the guy was dead. I tried to follow the van that had the shot guy in but lost them.”
The man, who asked not to be named, called 111 and soon after saw police driving towards the scene.
A mum out running an everyday errand also described the frightening moment she heard gunshots, before seeing two men lying on the ground surrounded by armed police pointing their weapons at them.
The mother, who asked not to be named, was withdrawing cash from the BNZ money machine on West Coast Rd when she heard a commotion, including a woman yelling, before hearing three gunshots and then the woman yelling again.
“I heard one shot, then a pause, then another, followed by another shot. I looked at my son and yelled out, ‘Call the police, I think someone got shot’. I was shocked - I had to pause myself thinking, ‘S***, did I just say that?’”
Police at the scene outside Westlight Apartments in Glen Eden last night. One person was shot and two others were arrested in the violent disorder incident. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Her son, who had been in their vehicle at the RSA carpark, told his mum she “watched too much movies”, but within minutes the pair saw police “zooming past” and after driving to a nearby service station they could see the shots had also attracted the attention of residents at Westlight Apartments on nearby Waikumete Rd.
“We could only see people looking out of their balcony to see where the yelling and shooting noises were coming from.
“Then I drove across the train tracks at the lights to see police cars blocking the street on my right. Two guys with their hands on their back [were] lying in the middle of the street ... [with] cops surrounding them with guns pointed directly at them, so I did a U-turn and went home.”
‘What have you done?’
Several other people wrote on a community Facebook page last night of hearing the incident, with one writing that “there was a brawl that ended with a man being shot twice”.
“The gunshots were so loud”, wrote one woman, adding the incident had unfolded “right outside our bedroom window”.
She saw three men and a woman outside.
Another woman also described hearing “lots of shouting” outside her window. Police arrived quickly and she was later told to “stay inside”.
“[I] called for help! I heard lots of shouting but I wasn’t sure if it was gunshots, and [I] kind of heard someone say like, ‘What have you done?’”
One woman said she was inside Waikumete Cemetery when heard gunshots.
Police went to Waikumete Rd about 8pm after reports of a disorder incident involving a large group of people and a firearm, Bartlett said.
“The firearm has been discharged immediately following the disorder and one person was transported to Auckland City Hospital with a serious injury consistent with a gunshot wound.”
Police identified a vehicle of interest, believed to be used by the offenders, on Clayburn Rd, with police - who were armed as a precaution - stopping the vehicle, he said.
“A firearm was seized and two men aged 23 and 27 were arrested.“
They were due to appear in the Waitakere District Court today, facing charges of committing a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm with a firearm, and accessory after the fact to a dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, respectively.
“Further charges are being considered and inquiries to piece together what occurred remain ongoing.”
Police examine the scene in Waikumete Rd in Glen Eden after a person was shot and two more arrested in a violent disorder incident involving a large number of people. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Police know people videoed the earlier incident and asked for that footage to be shared with them to help their inquiries, Bartlett said.
“We understand this may have been a distressing incident for anyone who witnessed it.
“Police are committed to holding offenders to account, especially those who put the lives of others at risk.”
Video footage or information that may help the investigation can be shared with police by calling 105 and quoting the reference file number: 240726/5258
One hurt in violent incident in Flat Bush
Last night’s incident came a day after two men with a firearm smashed their way into a South Auckland home, injured a male occupant, took items and fled in a vehicle, police said.
A woman living in the home, who did not want to be named, toldRNZshe’d been shaken by the incident, which she believed was a “random event”.
“Someone came in with weapons and just smashed through the door and that’s all we really know. We don’t want to say too much.”
The woman told RNZshe had been living at the house for nine years and it was a “very safe and quiet street” usually.
Police later recovered a vehicle believed linked to the incident, which was being forensically examined yesterday, but the two men thought to be involved have not yet been found.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
