North Shore shooting

A man, believed to be in his 30s, was shot by North Shore Police this evening (April 20) and is in a stable condition in Auckland Hospital. A second man was arrested at the scene and will appear in the North Shore District Court tomorrow to face a charge of disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest.

The shooting occurred at about 5.45pm this evening during an incident after Police were called to assist security officers working on behalf of the North Shore City Council who were attempting to remove equipment from a private address – as the result of a noise complaint - on Eskdale Rd, Birkdale.

While one man was being arrested outside the property, another came at the three arresting Police officers wielding a machete and another type of knife.

Initial reports from witnesses at the scene are that the man was shot while Police were retreating from him. The man was shot at least twice in the torso. He was removed from the scene immediately by ambulance and taken to Auckland Hospital.

A criminal investigation has been initiated and is being headed by acting Detective Inspector Gary Davey of Takapuna CIB. The Police Complaints Authority has been notified and the PCA enquiry has begun.

Superintendent Graham Emery, National Manager Professional Standards from the Office of the Commissioner, has travelled to Auckland to provide an initial contact point for the PCA enquiry.

North Shore Area Commander Inspector Mike Hill said every effort is being made to determine the sequence of tonight’s events.

"Like any serious investigation of this type, we will take our time and do things properly. Initial area inquiries have revealed a number of witnesses and they will all be spoken to as part of this investigation."

The scene at Eskdale Rd has been cordoned off and the road is partially closed and will remain so until sometime tomorrow morning.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>