Emergency services were called shortly before 8pm and police said the victim had died at the scene.
Police guard an Alison St property. Photo / Ben Fraser
St Michael's Catholic School in Western Heights posted on Facebook it was a "sad day for the community".
In the post, principal Kristina Crouch said "A sad day for the community of Western Heights with the overnight shooting and death of a person in our area".
"I have been searching for words to share but have fallen grossly short. I'm sad. Sad for the whānau that will be affected, sad for the wider community of Western Heights, sad for parents who may have to explain these events to their children and sad for the children who come to learn about these events by way of personal experience.
"St Michael's children (the whole school) will attend Mass this morning. As always, parents and whānau are welcome to join us at St Michael's Church at 9.30am
"This morning I pray to the ArchAngel Michael."
Western Heights Primary School principal Brent Griffin said it was business as usual at the school despite the tragedy.
"Sadly this is not the first time that something like this has happened in the community."
He said so far it did not appear that any of the children were connected to the shooting victim.
The Ministry of Education had called this morning offering trauma services for students who may have needed it and the school was grateful for the offer, he said.
Krista Beamsley lives on Alison St and said she heard what sounded like two gunshots.
She said police armed with guns and accompanied with dogs had been covering the area and turning cars away from the street.
A woman heading to a friend's on Alison St was stopped at a roadblock manned by a heavily armed policeman.
Police at the scene of a murder investigation on Clayton Rd. Photo / Ben Fraser
She said she had since heard from people who lived in the area they could hear a fight at a house at a rear section on Alison St.
