"This is a serious and tragic incident and we are doing everything we can to locate anyone involved.
"Anyone who witnessed this incident or has any information which may assist our investigation is urged to contact police immediately."
Police cordons are in place on Piako St and these are expected to continue for some time while a scene examination takes place.
Flat Bush School and Flat Bush Kindergarten were temporarily placed in lockdown for a short period of time, but that has been lifted and parents are able to collect their children.
• Information can be provided to Counties Manukau Police on 09 261 1321 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Series of shootings:
The incident comes after two other shootings in the area in the past few weeks.
President of the Killer Beez gang, Josh Masters, was shot at a Harley Davidson store in Mt Wellington on April 26.
Masters was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged with attempted murder in relation to the shooting.
Siaosi Tulua, 39, was also killed in a fatal shooting at a property on Darnell Cres, in Clover Park, about 10.30pm on April 21.
A post-mortem was carried out and it was confirmed that Tulua died from a gunshot wound.
Mayor to attend public meeting:
Auckland mayor Phil Goff is due to speak at a community meeting in Otara tomorrow, as fears mount over the number of shootings in South Auckland.
Speaking with Newstalk ZB this evening, Goff said today's shooting only added to his concerns.
"What we have been concerned about is that over the last year, in South Auckland as a whole, there has been more than a dozen shootings.
"I know that means that some people living in those neighbourhoods are feeling really unsafe," he said.
"We need to insure that people in any part of our city are safe and feel secure – and having that number of shootings in South Auckland is a very high level."
Goff said he had spoken to police and social services in the area.
"It is about listening to the community about what else needs to be improved so they have a greater feeling of security," he said.
Goff said a lot of the recent shootings in the area had been related to gang competition and the trafficking of drugs.
"I have been in touch directly with the Minister of Police and he is putting more police officers on the ground into Otara as they graduate from the new intakes, and the police are putting a whole lot more emphasis on cracking down on organised crime – and effectively drug trafficking through gangs is a form of organised crime.
"We need to lift those efforts, and I've had very reassuring comments coming back to me from the Minister of Police about what he intends to do to lift our resources in South Auckland."
