In the wake of seven shootings in two days, an Auckland councillor is calling for members of the community to report firearms to the police "before somebody gets killed."
Throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning police were called to seven shootings - in Ōtara, Papatoetoe, Flat Bush, Papakura, Te Atatū, Henderson and Mt Albert.
Police Superintendent Jill Rogers told media five of the houses targeted had previous gang links. However, two of the seven houses had no gang affiliation.
No injuries were reported.
Rogers said the shootings are believed to involve the Killer Beez and Tribesmen. The two gangs have historic tensions.
READ MORE: Killer Beez and Tribesmen gangs involved in Auckland shootings
Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina said it was only a matter of time before somebody got hurt.
"I'm really worried," he said.
Filipaina, a former community constable in Māngere Bridge, said the number of shootings across the region is "the most I've ever seen, even in my career in the police."
Tensions between the two gangs have been on the rise since the 2019 shooting of Killer Beez president Josh Masters by a Tribesmen member.
But Filipaina said to understand the whole picture you have to look back further.
"The Killer Beez when I started were a feeder club... all the gangs had feeder clubs, little juniors that would graduate to the bigger gangs.
"Black Power had the junior blacks, and you had the Killer Beez that would end up going to the Tribesmen."
But under the leadership of Josh Masters, he said, Killer Beez members began to question, "why are we a feeder club?"
"Now both Tribesmen and the Killer Beez... they want to put a line in the sand... this is our patch."
But while this week's shootings may be the result of a gang rivalry, similar past conflicts often endanger innocent bystanders, said Filipaina.
In November last year, the home of a young family, with no criminal links, was shot 20 times by a suspected gang member.
"Look at Yates road... when the house was targeted and it was the wrong house.
"It's their war... and our community is in the middle."
He said he's also worried that family members with gang ties might be subject to violence.
"I'm also worried about the children of the people doing the offending... they're also in the firing line."
In 2007, two-year-old Jhia Te Tua was shot and killed by Mongrel Mob associates. Police believed the drive-by shooting was targeted at her father, a patched Black Power member.
"When you're doing what they're doing there's retaliation," said Filipaina.
To de-escalate the situation and prevent further bloodshed, he said, the responsibility of "getting these firearms off the street lies with the families of those using them."
"I guarantee in the community there are people who know where these firearms are... family members or whoever.
"Whether it's anonymously or whatever, get [the guns] out of the house.
"That's easy for me to say and hard for them to do... but they have an onus on this as well.
"Let's not leave it up to the police... they don't get paid to get killed."
National leader calls for permanent gang unit
National's leader Christopher Luxon called for a dedicated gang unit in the wake of recent shootings.
Luxon said the unit's powers would include new firearm prohibition orders, giving police the ability to perform warrant-less raids of gang pads in the search for illegal firearms.
While not permanently armed, Luxon said officers should have easy access to firearms.
The permanent police unit would hold similar powers to Strike Force Raptor, a previous suggestion that was floated by National in November 2020.
The idea was backtracked after heavy criticism.
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