An armed man fleeing police has been shot and died at Auckland's Sylvia Park mall this afternoon.
Superintendent Sunny Patel said police received information at around 2pm about the alleged theft of an air rifle from Gun City in Penrose.
A man then fled in a vehicle.
Police units and the Police Eagle helicopter were deployed to the scene where a white Suzuki Swift was seen travelling near Sylvia Park.
Witness describes 'scary' moment gunman shot at Auckland's Sylvia Park mall - Watch on TVNZ+
The Police Eagle tracked the vehicle as it travelled into the Pakuranga area where it has entered the car park at Pakuranga Plaza.
"From there, the vehicle quickly exited onto the Pakuranga Highway and began driving erratically towards Panmure," Patel said.
Syvia Park mall the scene of a dramatic early Thursday afternoon chase and shooting. (Source: 1News)
The vehicle was spiked as it drove in an "erratic manner" towards Panmure and on to the Mount Wellington Highway.
The vehicle then became stranded at an intersection outside Sylvia Park Shopping Centre.
The man then fled on foot carrying a long-barrelled air rifle towards the grounds of the mall around 2.50pm, Patel said.
Suspect headed towards the mall entrance
Officers followed the mam as he headed towards an entrance to the mall, he said.
"Whilst still in possession of the air-rifle, he has been confronted underneath an overpass where he was been shot by police.
"First aid was immediately provided however the offender has been pronounced deceased at the scene."
Patel said police had now stood up a critical incident investigation into the events that have unfolded this afternoon.
"Our investigation is still in the very early stages of piecing together all the events," he said.
"A cordon has been set up at the scene, and we ask that people avoid the area at this stage.
"These events have unfolded very quickly in a busy area, with people shopping at the mall and the afternoon rush hour getting underway.
"I can reassure the public that there is no ongoing risk."
Mall locked down during incident
A lockdown at Auckland's Sylvia Park mall was put in place before being lifted following the incident.
A police spokesperson earlier today said officers had cleared the scene to permit most of the area to reopen.
"The incident has concluded and there is no risk to public safety," the spokesperson said.
"There will be a continued police presence in the area as enquiries are undertaken however, so the public is asked to avoid the area.
"Further information will be released as soon as possible."
A witness at the traffic lights near Sylvia Park Mall told 1News she saw a man drive up next to her onto a traffic island and his car became stuck.
She said the man then got out of the vehicle with a large gun and began walking towards her vehicle. The man ran towards the mall after about five police cars and helicopter appeared.
'They shot him. Bang'
Witness George Heller told 1News he was putting his groceries in his car when he saw a man believed to be carrying a pistol run past him while being chased by around eight armed officers.
"And then they shot him – three shots. Bang."
The man was shot near the Footlocker store, Heller said.
"I didn’t know what to do. I just went and saw people next to me and made sure they were OK."
A restaurant worker at the mall told 1News they heard multiple gunshots before a major police presence swarmed the mall carpark.
Another witness at H&M inside the mall said she was on the bottom floor when she heard "three to four gunshots".
"Next thing I know, we’re being told, 'go upstairs! Go upstairs! Go upstairs!'"
She said it sounded like the shots were coming from outside the mall. Multiple police cars and a cordon could be seen from the window of the shop.
Fire and Emergency NZ crews and St John were also at the scene.
Footage from a 1News cameraman shows police beyond a cordon holding up a white sheet to shield part of the scene from public view.
Shoppers had since been told they could leave through a specified exit through the back of the mall.
The carpark remained closed, one witness said.
In a statement, local MP Greg Fleming said police had advised the incident was "no longer ongoing".
"If you're at the centre, please keep following the directions of police and staff," he said.
"To everyone caught up in this, shoppers, retail workers and the Sylvia Park team, I know how frightening this will have been.
"I'll be checking in with police and Sylvia Park management over the coming days to see what support is needed."
Three gunshots heard
A witness told 1News they were leaving the mall when they saw a man running across the road from the direction of Spotlight while being chased by police.
The witness said the man was wearing a white T-shirt, black hat and black glasses and was carrying what "looked like a rifle".
"As I grabbed my phone out I heard three gunshots," they said.
Geneva House, an office space in the Sylvia Park Precinct, was also in lockdown, 1News understands.
The two-level mall in Mt Wellington is the country's largest shopping centre.
Kiwi Property, which owns and manages the complex, said in a statement it was aware of the incident and "a portion of the centre was locked down as a precaution".
"The incident is now contained by NZ Police and while a portion of the centre remains cordoned off, the shopping centre is no longer in lockdown," a spokesperson said.
Detours and diversions were in place for multiple bus routes due to the "emergency services incident", Auckland Transport said.
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