Shots fired during serious arson attempt at Sandringham house - gang warfare suspected

The disorder started after an altercation between members of rival Comancheros and Head Hunters gangs. Photo / Alex Burton

Police are investigating yet another serious incident thought to be connected to gangs in Auckland.

In the last few months gang tensions and violent incidents have been escalating with police being ordered to carry firearms on at least one occasion.

Just days after a stoush in Glen Eden between Comancheros and Head Hunters gang members ended with a man in hospital and police seizing a cache of handguns and machetes, officers were called to a serious incident in Sandringham.

Just after 11pm on Friday emergency services converged on a house on Haverstock Rd where a fire had broken out.

It emerged that an offender had forced a front window open at the house and set fire to the curtains inside.

As the house burned, causing significant damage, shots were fired at the property.

The offender then left the scene in a black sedan vehicle.

Police discovered at least seven shotgun cartridges on the ground outside the home when they carried out a scene examination.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing and it is understood no arrests have been made at this stage.

On Tuesday five men were arrested after the fracas on Virgo Place in Glen Eden.

Police had been called to the scene after multiple 111 calls about disorder in the street.

As officers swarmed the street a man presented at Waitākere Hospital in a serious condition.

A source later said the altercation was between two groups of men believed to be patched Comancheros and Head Hunters gang members.

They were armed with machetes and bats and "confronted" another group of men who were said to be Head Hunters gang members.

Armed police officers at Virgo Place in Glen Eden. Photo / Alex Burton

The two groups had an "altercation" during which a handgun was fired "several times".

No one was shot, but the man injured in the fracas suffered multiple stab wounds and a broken leg.

Just as police arrived the alleged offenders took off in separate cars.

One car was tracked to the Lynfield Shopping Centre.

Five men were arrested on-site and a handgun and multiple machetes were recovered from the vehicle.

West Auckland police were armed overnight as fears of escalated violence and gang tensions heightened. Photo / Alex Burton

A number of houses were searched at Virgo Place and at least two Head Hunters members or associates were located and arrested.

Another vehicle connected to the incident - thought to be the one used to transport the injured man to hospital - was found later on Serjeant St, Henderson.

Police found a pistol inside.

Because of "increased tension and likelihood of retaliation" a general arming order was put in place for police in the area overnight, meaning they were carrying firearms.

A police spokesperson said detectives were working to establish the "full circumstances around how this man was injured".