Massey police shooting: Kids held at school while police hunt shooter

Kids are being kept inside at at least one West Auckland primary school after a police officer was shot dead in the area earlier today.

Hobsonville Primary School are keeping children in their classrooms because of the shooting which also left a second police officer injured.

Eight schools in West Auckland were placed into lockdown following the shooting.

A member of the public was hit and injured by a vehicle after police performed a routine traffic stop on Reynella Drive in Massey. Shots were fired and two police officers were hit.

Massey High School advised parents that it was in lockdown "due to police activity in the Massey area, adding that "everyone is safe at school".

Massey Primary School principal Bruce Barnes advised via Facebook that the school was in "full lockdown" and "all students are safe in their classrooms".

Lincoln Heights school also advised that they are in lockdown.

Jolly Stars Early Learning Centre on Reynella Drive told the Herald that they had followed police advice and gone into lockdown and all children and staff were safe.

A staff member told the Herald that they first became aware of the incident when they heard sirens but the children were unaware of what was going on.

A staff member from Massey Playcentre told the Herald they were in lockdown and that all staff and children were safe and inside the building.

A staff member from Feathers Early Learning Centre on Lincoln Park Ave told the Herald that they received advice from the Ministry of Education to lock down but had not heard from police.

They said all the children and staff were well and that the children were "pretty resilient" and watching a movie on the iPad to occupy themselves.

Some parents who arrived at Feathers during the incident have remained there with their children.