Key Points
- A gunman has killed two people at a construction site in Auckland.
- The New Zealand city is hosting the first match of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
- NZ Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed the match will go ahead.
Three people are dead, including the gunman, and six are injured after a shooting at an Auckland CBD building.
Dozens of police vehicles, a helicopter and several ambulances are attending the lower Queen Street site on Thursday as the city prepares to host the opening match of the Women's World Cup.
What happened in the Auckland shooting?
Local media reported that the gunman was a 24-year-old man who worked at the building and had arrived at the site with a pump-action shotgun.
He was later identified as Matu Tangi Matua Reid, who was serving a community-based sentence of home detention for family violence offences.
Police Commissioner Andy Coster later said Reid had indications of a "mental health history", and they believed his motivation was linked to his employment.
In New Zealand, people serving home detention can gain exemptions to visit work sites.
Colleagues thought he was conducting a prank until he opened fire.
Police said he "moved through the building site and continued to discharge his firearm".
"Upon reaching the upper levels of the building, the male has contained himself within the elevator shaft," the police statement read.
"Further shots were fired from the male, and he was located deceased a short time later."
Local television outlets broadcasted footage of workers on the roof of the building hiding behind packs of pre-mix cement.
Armed New Zealand police officers stand at a road block in the central business district following a shooting in Auckland. Source: AAP / Abbie Parr
No change to New Zealand terror settings
The shooting is being treated as an isolated incident, not a national security threat, with no change to the country's terror settings.
At a press conference, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had "deep sorrow" for the two victims, who he understood were civilians and not police.
"I want to thank the brave men and women of the New Zealand police who ran into the gunfire, straight into harm's way in order to save the lives of others," he said.
Hipkins said the situation had been completely contained.
"From the advice that we have received so far, there is no identified political or ideological motivation for the shooting and therefore no national security risk," he said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. Source: AAP / Ben Mckay
"I've been in contact with Chris this morning about that. And that is very sad indeed to see another dreadful shooting with fatalities here in New Zealand," he said.
What does this mean for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023
Hipkins said: "With the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland."
"The government has spoken to FIFA organisers this morning, and the tournament will proceed as planned."
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident.
St John Ambulance has confirmed six injuries, three serious and three moderate.
Ferry services using a nearby terminal have been cancelled, and locals asked to stay away.
The incident occurred on the first day of World Cup play, with NZ set to play Norway in the tournament's opening match at Eden Park, five kilometres south.
Norway are staying at a hotel in close proximity to the shooting site.
Sports Minister Grant Robertson said the team were "safe and sound".
The FIFA Fan Festival is also nearby, where former NZ international Maia Jackman was spending her morning.
"It's pretty scary actually ... there's lots of security and lots of uncertainty," she told the NZ Herald.
Jackman said Norway remained in full lockdown.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown told TVNZ the attack was "dreadful".
"It couldn't have come at a worse time, given the world has its eyes on us now with the FIFA soccer thing."
