A Helensville man was woken early this morning by a distressed, shirtless man knocking on his door saying a woman had been shot in the stomach.
Noel Smith, 71, said his wife and daughter were woken by the sound of a gunshot, and someone banging on their front door.
"I thought they were going to break the glass. It took me a minute or two to get to the door. He said, 'Quick, I need help, someone has been shot in the stomach. I need an ambulance'."
Smith said the mystery shirtless man disappeared while he called emergency services.
Police have confirmed that a 31-year-old woman was rushed to hospital in a critical condition with gunshot wounds early this morning.
She is undergoing surgery and police are speaking to three people - two men and a woman - in connection with the shooting.
Police are not seeking anyone else.
Smith told the Herald that soon after phoning emergency services, a police helicopter flew overhead.
"The first thing to arrive was the Eagle helicopter and then the police turned up and a whole pile of ambulances. They told me to go inside and stay in there."
For the next 15 minutes he said he heard police on a loudspeaker saying, "Come out and give yourself up".
Smith said the house, at the back of an industrial area, was frequented at all hours of the day. He didn't know the people who lived there.
"There's so many people in and out all blimmin' night. I've had my suspicions for a while but I don't like to rock the boat. I thought, leave them long enough and they'll cook their own goose and sure enough they have."
In a statement, police said they were called to a Mill Rd property just before 4am.
A scene examination is currently taking place. Several police officers can be seen moving in and out of the house and a man in overalls is checking the ground.