The police are still looking for the three men involved in the drive-by shooting in South Auckland where two shots were fired, injuring three.
The intersection of Preston Road and Kudu Road. Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou
Neighbours at the Kudu Road and Preston Road intersection in Ōtara say they were kept in the dark about the incident and they haven't heard from the police about what they should be doing.
Three young men were walking on the street at about 7pm last night when a car pulled up next to them, police said.
There was a confrontation between the two groups and someone inside the car fired two shots, possibly from a shotgun.
All three, aged 14-21 years, were taken to Middlemore Hospital, and one - a16-year-old boy - is still there.
Neighbours to the shooting scene said the area was no stranger to action but last night was the first time they had known of shots being fired.
After the incident, Johnasson Mariri said he wanted to get his kids away from Ōtara . Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou
Johnasson Mariri said today the footpaths were a lot quieter.
He was glad his children weren't around when it happened, he said.
"I've got my two daughters and my son, which they play out here all the time, you know this is their playground.
"I'm just thinking ... what if something had happened. The bullet could have hit one of my kids. So I'm really annoyed and angry and want to get my kids away from Otara."
Mr Mariri said in the meantime he was going to pack up the van and take his family away for the weekend.
"That's what we usually do if something goes bad here," Mr Mariri said.
Another neighbour Joseph Koteka was at home last night and saw it unfold.
"I just thought someone chucked a firework bomb. got scared and everyone was looking around," he said.
Mr Koteka said he froze and then checked to see if the three who were shot at were all right.
RNZ also spoke to some primary-school aged children who also witnessed what happened.
They said after the initial shock they ran home to tell an adult and had been told to play at home today.
"I feel safe with my grandma and my grandpa and maybe I should listen to them to not go on the road because it's busy, so I have to stay inside the house," nine-year-old Marina Katoa said.
Tevita Katoa and his grandchildren. Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou
Marina's grandad, Tevita Katoa, said they needed to know more from the police about what was going on during the incident.
But Detective Sergeant Len Leleni said the police presence in the area was heavy and there was no cause for concern.
It was likely the teenager in hospital would be discharged in the next 24 hours and more information about the three men in the car will keep coming in, he said.
