A witness at the scene said officers were talking to a handful of residents of the apartment block which is across the road from the bus terminal near the Manukau shopping centre.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said many of the residents of the apartments had young families.
He added that the block was a "safe place". He did not know the nature of today's incident but said it "unsettling" to return home from a walk to see the police presence outside the complex.