Homeless man found dead on Auckland's Queen St

A fight took place shortly before a homeless man was found dead outside a block of shops in downtown Auckland, but police don't know whether it is linked to his death.

Witnesses said the man fell to the ground and hit his head on concrete.

A number of rough sleepers told the Herald this morning the man was "one of them" and had been smoking outside the block of shops before he suddenly fell backwards.

It is thought he hit his head awkwardly. His body was found sometime later.

A police cordon remains in place on Queen St following the discovery of a man's body. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A post-mortem examination will be done today. Police are treating his death as unexplained.

Police officers and forensic teams are now at the scene, immediately outisde the EB Games store.

A large cordon has been erected outside a set of shops and security staff are manning the area where a man's body was found.

Police tape is blocking a block of shops next to the McDonald's restaurant.

Two tents have also been put up.

"Police are still speaking to witnesses to establish what has happened," said a spokeswoman.

Police are also trying to locate the man's next of kin.