Young mother fatally shot - partner arrested

The woman was driven from her Warkworth home to the nearby Kowhai Health & Medical Centre. Photo / Dean Purcell

A 20-year-old man will appear in the North Shore District Court today after a young woman was fatally shot in Warkworth yesterday.

She was found outside the Kowhai Health & Medical Centre.

Police say the man drove the woman, also 20, from her Percy St home to the centre, which is also in Percy St, about 2pm.

They believe he was seeking help, but she was dead by the time doctors arrived at his car.

A firearm was found at the scene.

No one else was threatened in the incident.

It is understood the couple were in a relationship and have a baby daughter.

The killing shocked residents of the quiet town north of Auckland.

Anne Elliott, who lives next door to the couple, was extremely concerned for the baby, who was last night in the care of her grandmother.

It is not known whether the baby was with the couple outside the medical centre.

Mrs Elliott said nothing like the killing ever happened in Warkworth.

"It's very sad, it's a real tragedy."

John and Laurel Frogley said the young couple were "very quiet".

"I sometimes heard the young baby crying, but that was about it," said Mr Frogley. "It's always been so quiet here."

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster, who lives in the area, said she first learned of the shooting when a district councillor phoned her.

"Everyone's in shock," she said. "We were just saying the other day that nothing really happens too bad around here.

"There will be a lot of shocked people. It's very, very tragic, especially at this time of year.

"This sort of thing doesn't happen [here]. I don't think it's ever happened, but it's certainly not something we expect on a Friday afternoon in December in Warkworth."

The dead woman has yet to be publicly identified. A post-mortem examination will be carried out today.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Beck Vass, Andrew Koubaridis and NZPA