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Key Points:

One person has been shot dead after a high speed police chase on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway.

There had earlier been reports that two shots were fired and a man had been taken into custody.

It is not clear at this stage who the dead man is or who shot him but police confirmed the fatality.

A Herald photographer at the scene said he could see the feet of an unmoving person visible from a white van.

The motorway in both directions is blocked and several areas near the St Lukes on-ramp have been cordoned off.

Police are investigating and members of the Armed Offenders Squad have been involved since a vehicle was stolen in west Auckland shortly after 1pm.

Callers to Newstalk ZB report seeing a grey Nissan Skyline car crashed into a fence on the Northwestern Motorway near the Western Springs off-ramp.

When the chase ended, witnesses reported seeing a man try to hijack a truck.

A total of 20 police vehicles and the police helicopter are thought to have been involved in the chase.

The high speed chase began in the west Auckland suburb of New Lynn and police said the person they were chasing was armed, TVNZ reported.

It said there were reports the incident began when a man tried to steal a handbag. He was then said to have got into a car and driven off.

He is reported to have ditched the car in Titirangi before getting into a Skyline, TVNZ said.

Police shut the motorway with one witness describing it as "looking like a carpark".

- NZ HERALD STAFF

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