Concerns over rise in gun violence

File photo.

Police say the issue of gun violence is not just confined to a single region.

There is concern in Auckland about an increase in shootings.

In the latest, a homicide investigation was launched after an armed standoff at a house in the suburb of Flat Bush.

And two people are on the run after a fatal shooting in Mt Roskill on Thursday.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff has says he raised the issue of the city's gun violence with Police Minister Poto Williams.

Goff says the number of gun crimes in the region was undermining its residents' right to feel safe.

In a statement, Assistant Police Commissioner Sandra Venables says police have no tolerance for gun violence in the community and significant arrests had been made in relation to gang tensions.

"Police has been very open this year around some of the behaviours from organised crime groups using firearms against one another and we also note significant arrests have been made in relation to these gang tensions," she said.

"Police have also seen excellent results following the launch of Operation Tauwhiro. As of September, 987 firearms had been seized, nearly $5 million in cash seized and 865 arrests made."

She says the eyes and ears of people in the community could provide important help and she was encouraging people to report suspicious or illegal activity.

"The issue of firearms within our communities is not just confined to a single region. Police are generally concerned at the prevalence of firearms being used within certain groups in our society."

There has been a 49 percent increase in injuries recorded as a result of firearms crime in Auckland city over the past year and a half, compared with the two years previous.

The rates of gun crime in 2020 were the highest ever.

-RNZ.

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