KEY POINTS:
Police Commissioner Howard Broad is set to visit the family of the man shot dead by police on an Auckland motorway on Friday.
Halatau Naitoko, 17, was killed when a stray bullet fired from a police rifle struck him in the chest as they chased an armed man.
Mr Broad, who is returning from visiting New Zealand Police staff working in Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, said he had heard the news of the shooting when he was in an area of difficult communications.
"This has been an absolute tragedy and I have the utmost sympathy for the family of Mr Naitoko," he said.
"My thoughts are also with all my staff including those involved in the AOS (Armed Offenders Squad) response and the investigators who are now busy conducting the homicide investigation.
"From the briefing I have received, matters are proceeding as they ought with appropriate investigations by the relevant authorities and support is being provided to the victims and police staff."
Mr Broad was due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow evening.
- NZPA