[ad_1]
One person remains in a critical condition, while another is now in a stable condition after being shot in the head and the abdomen following a reported fight in Auckland CBD – with one person fleeing on a Lime scooter.
The incident occurred at about 11.30pm on Thursday on Auckland’s Queen St.
Do you know more? Email aucklandnewsroom@stuff.co.nz
Police were called to reports of a fight between a group people on the corner of Fort and Queen streets late in the evening.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said a small group of people started fighting before one person in the group pulled out a gun and fired at least four times.
One person was shot in the head and the other was shot in the abdomen.
CHRIS MCKEEN/Stuff
Lower Queen St was the scene of a shooting overnight.
Bolton wanted to reassure those who live and work in the CBD that this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing concern.
“We are following positive lines of enquiry and are working hard to hold this offender to account.”
Bolton said the offender was on the Lime scooter before and then after the incident and they were assessing CCTV, which was “quite helpful”.
Words were exchanged before the scooter rider hopped off and fired shots, before hopping back on and fleeing the scene, the detective said.
Bolton said the CCTV made it clear it was an isolated incident.
He also asked anyone who witnessed the incident or had any information to get in touch with police.
A man who lives in a building overlooking the shooting said he had been working in his apartment when he heard panicked screams coming from down in the street.
“I heard some bangs and some screaming from outside. At first, I just thought it was usual Queen St things, but then I heard police sirens and the chopper.”
He said he knew it wasn’t just a usual midnight altercation when he looked out to see armed police in the street.
“I heard more screams, and you could hear the panic in their voices.”
He saw two people lying near congregating police but said he couldn’t tell if they were injured from where he was.
He has been living in the CBD for just over a year and said nothing like this had happened until the shooting two weeks ago.
But he said he was beginning to feel unsafe and that, had he been working at his service job, he likely could have been in the middle of the altercation when it happened.
“I usually finish just around that time and work right across the street, so I could’ve been walking there when it all happened.”
Meanwhile, those injured during the incident have been taken to Auckland City hospital in a critical condition.
Video on social media appeared to show multiple armed police on the street, with some of them surrounding a person on the ground.
A scooter is lying on the pavement nearby.
Bolton said a person who fled on the scooter was wearing “distinctive” red and black pants and a red hat.
By 6.30am on Friday, the scene had been cleared, and it was business as usual on Queen St.
A reporter at the scene said there were no cordons in place.
A spokesperson for Lime said the company was aware of the incident and were in touch with police about supporting the investigation.
Thursday night’s shooting comes two weeks after two men were killed and a third died from self-inflicted fatal injury on a construction site only a few blocks away. Ten people needed hospital care.
Early in the morning of July 20, Matu Reid, 24, killed two men he worked with as well as injuring numerous people, including a police officer.
Reid exchanged gunfire with police and was later found dead inside the building from self-inflicted wounds.
On Friday evening, police Acting Superintendent Sunny Patel said police would remain “highly visible” in the city centre over the weekend.
“The additional staffing to support our deployment, following last night’s shooting on Queen Street has come from across Tāmaki Makaurau to increase our presence and to prevent crime.”
[ad_2]