Firearm incident forces Massey school to close

An elementary school is closed and armed police have invaded a West Auckland suburb following a firearms incident this morning.

Police say they are responding to an incident at an address on Keegan Dr in Massey that was reported shortly before noon.

Police were still establishing the full set of circumstances for the incident.

A spokesperson said there were curbs in a section of the road as police approached the property at the center of the investigation.

As a precaution, the nearby Lincoln Heights School, which is on the same road, has been closed due to proximity to the curbs, the spokesperson said.

From inside the school, Lincoln Heights principal Leisha Byrnes said that staff and students remained huddled in their classrooms and offices as the police operation continued.

He said the school had received a call from the police telling them to take the measure as a security measure given the proximity of the activity.

They did not give him details about the operation, but he was cooperating with the request.

Byrnes assured the elementary school parents that all the children were in good hands.

“All the children are on staff and accounted for, just like the staff,” he said.

Parents kept abreast of the unfolding situation via the school’s Facebook page and via text message.

A spokeswoman for St John confirmed that a team was on the scene to assist police in Massey’s call.

“We got the call at 12.05 pm. A rapid response unit has been deployed,” he said.