Police believe a shooting in south Auckland this morning that left three people wounded is a "one-off event" and there is "no reason to fear any further events of this nature".
Police were called around 4:30am after reports of shots being fired in Mangere. Police believe a group of 40 people had been gathered drinking at a reserve on Yates Rd.
According to reports, a man then entered the reserve armed with a gun and fired three shots into the group before fleeing the scene.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan appeals for witnesses of last night shooting in Mangere at Yates Park (Wilhelmina Shrimpton / 3 News)
A 22-year-old was taken to Middlemore Hospital with gunshot wounds to the leg and abdomen, along with a 16-year-old and a 24-year-old, who both have gunshot wounds to the leg.
The 22-year-old victim has now been transferred to Auckland Hospital, and police say while his injuries are serious they are not thought to be life-threatening. The other two remain in hospital.
A large number of enquiries have now been launched by police, and so far very few of the people gathered in the reserve have come forward.
"At this stage we're having some difficulty contacting them and speaking to them. I would like to urge anyone that was at the gathering this morning to come forward and contact police," says Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan.
"Until we can speak to them, and they come forward and tell us what they know, if anything, we're not going got be able to solve this."
Det Snr Sgt Tiernan says they can confirm one gunman approached the group and fired shots, but not much else.
"Where he's come from, whether he's acted alone, how he got away, are all things we're looking into," he says.
Neighbours told 3 News the local gang, called 'JMEF', often drinks at the reserve where the shooting happened.
Police say "they are not a gang in the traditional sense", but "they're just a group of people that are associated and hang out together and drink on occasions like this".
"They're all young people and they're drinking alcohol to excess and just what the relationship is to this group and the gunman we don't know," he says.
Yates Rd resident Fata Tapasu says she heard a woman yelling not long before seeing a group of men chase after a car.
Other residents told 3 News they heard a series of bangs. They say the area is a notorious party street, and incidents like this are a regular occurrence. One person said they want a stronger police presence across the neighbourhood.
Det Snr Sgt Tiernan says there is no evidence this group is going to retaliate.
The shotgun has not been found.
Extra police will patrol the area over the next few days.
Anyone who has information regarding the incident is urged to contact authorities immediately on (09) 2611 300 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or to personal message Counties police on Facebook.
3 News
