One dead in shooting incident in Whanganui

  • Updated
  • 21/08/2018

Police say a man has died in a shooting incident in Castecliff, Whanganui.

Officers swarmed Puriri Street in Castlecliff this morning after reports of gunshots involving gangs.

Parts of Puriri Street in Castlecliff are cordoned off and the public is asked to avoid the area.

Police are searching for the offenders and say there is no immediate cause for concern to the general public. It is believed those involved were known to each other. 

Local residents say they heard around six shots at about 9am this morning, and police then swooped into the area.

The Armed Offenders Squad and dogs squads from neighbouring towns are at the scene and officers are door knocking people in the area to talk about the incident.

There are a number of patched gang members in the area.

There has been an unofficial truce between warring gangs, according to residents in the area, and they fear that this incident could spark tensions between them again.

Newshub.