Resident who called police after Auckland shooting says Old Mangere Bridge has been 'party and fights' hotspot for years

February 17, 2019

People say they've been putting up with bad behaviour in the area for years.

Residents who live near the Old Mangere Bridge in Auckland say they have been terrorised by holligans and partyers for years.

1 NEWS spoke to one of the residents who called 111 early this morning when a man was shot  at the bridge.

“We’re constantly calling 111, police… perhaps sometimes 20 or 30 times during the week, especially at weekends, ” he said.

“There’s a lot of partying going on down here, partying, fights, people smashing bottles… we don’t sleep and this has been going on for about three to four years since I’ve been here.

“And nothing is actually being done about it – I know police are aware and the police are limited in resources but the fact of the matter is now something serious has happened,” he said.

He said there were about 30 cars on the bridge this morning and a “massive party” with lots of swearing.

“My main concern is people are drinking alcohol and then driving away, and that could kill someone… they don’t get breath-tested here, they just drive away,” the man told 1 NEWS.

He said it was scary to know a gun was fired so close to his home and said it had only been a matter of time before it happened.

Another resident, who also didn’t want to be identified, shared similar observations with 1 NEWS about people drinking on the bridge.

“Especially in the early hours of the morning… we have to try to find ways of avoiding them, they’re causing a lot of trouble here,” he said.

“It scares a lot of local people away… it’s been going on for a long time and I hope the council or community will do something about it” the man said.

The victim who was shot this morning has been transferred to Auckland Hospital in a serious but stable condition after sustaining a ‘gunshot wound’.

A second man was also found to have suffered moderate facial injuries before taken from the scene to Middlemore Hospital.

Police are still searching for the offender(s) in relation to this morning's event and cordons have been put in place while they investigate the crime scene.

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