3 dead in Auckland CBD construction site shooting as workers flee! Was the gunman also a worker? No Chinese casualties reported so far

Shooting at Auckland CBD construction site

 

At around 8h this morning (20 July), gunfire shattered the peace of Auckland's CBD.

 

A shooting broke out this morning at a building undergoing refurbishment in Auckland's CBD, sending numerous construction workers fleeing for shelter in nearby buildings. Construction company LT McGuinness was carrying out work on the building. A spokesperson said the property where the incident occurred belonged to Precinct Properties.

 

The Prime Minister and police confirmed that 2 civilians had died and the gunman was also dead. St John ambulance services said 6 people had been injured, including 3 seriously.

After checking with Auckland police, the Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland said no Chinese citizens had been reported killed or injured so far.

The attacker was reportedly a 24-year-old man who worked at Commercial Bay. At the time of the shooting, he was serving a community-based custodial sentence under home detention for offences including intentional injury and domestic violence, and was being monitored by an electronic ankle bracelet. At around 7:20am this morning, he entered his workplace carrying a pump-action shotgun.

 

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Reporters at the scene saw several construction workers crouching behind piles of building materials near where armed police had gathered.

 

A Newshub reporter at the scene said they saw a man believed to be a police officer being carried out of the building with blood covering his clothes.

 

At 10:20am, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins held a press conference, saying 2 civilians had died and 6 people had been injured, including police officers. He could not yet confirm whether those killed were construction workers or commuters nearby.

 

The Prime Minister said there was currently no evidence that the gunman's actions were politically or ideologically motivated, and police were working to establish more information. He believed the incident posed no wider national security risk.

 

“I want to thank the brave New Zealanders who risked their lives to save others.”

 

 

The incident caused major disruption in Auckland's CBD. Parts of the CBD were closed, Britomart station was shut, trains were being diverted, and the Auckland Ferry Building was also closed. Commuters were told to stay away from the area.

 

Police confirm the sequence of events

 

At 9:46am, police issued an update confirming three deaths, including the gunman.

 

Acting Superintendent Sunny Patel said:

 

“Police contained a serious incident at a construction site in Auckland's CBD this morning. At this stage, we can confirm that two people have died, and the male offender is also dead.”

 

“At around 7.22am, a man opened fire inside a construction site on lower Queen Street. A large number of police responded and cordoned off the area, and the Police Eagle helicopter was also deployed to provide oversight.”

 

 

“The offender then moved through the construction site and continued firing. After reaching the upper levels of the building, the man confined himself inside a lift shaft, where police staff attempted to engage with him. The man fired further shots and was found dead a short time later.”

 

“This incident is understandably alarming, and we reassure the public that it has been contained and is an isolated incident.”

 

Witnesses: gunman may have been a disgruntled worker

 

Media also interviewed witnesses and people caught up in the incident. A construction worker who did not want to be named said he heard the gunman was on a lower floor of the building while he was on level 21.

 

He said his team tried to go down to level 14, but were told the gunman was making his way up the building. He hid on level 15 until police told him it was safe to leave.

 

Witness Mari Holiday said she saw construction workers running out of the building while she was out for a morning walk. “I heard the fire alarm and saw other workers trapped on the upper floors. Suddenly, a helicopter came over, flying very low, and started circling. I tried to go home but got caught up in the crowd of construction workers, and police came over and told us to go back.”

 

Holiday said she heard “several gunshots”. A worker told her someone had entered the building with a shotgun and appeared to be looking for someone. Everyone started running when they saw the gun. The worker said the gunman looked like a disgruntled worker.

 

The gunman's identity has not yet been confirmed, and his motive remains unclear. The witness accounts offer only one side of the story, and we are still awaiting further information.

 

The incident has deeply shocked Auckland's entire property and construction industry, and we would like to believe it was an isolated event. It also raises questions for builders and workers: how can construction site safety be improved? How can clear, effective communication between people in the workplace be ensured? We welcome your views.