Auckland West Schools Closed, Armed Police Respond

Four schools are closed while armed police search for a person in West Auckland, and parents are warned not to enter the school grounds.

Police are responding to an emergency incident in Kelston and say officers “carry firearms as a precaution.”

Kelston Boys High School, Kelston Girls College, Kelston Intermediate School and St Leonards Rd School were closed shortly after 2 p.m., police said.

“We have a report of concerns for the welfare of a person and we are in the area at this time making inquiries to try to locate this person,” said a police spokesman.

Because the schools were in the nearby area, police advised them to close, the spokesman said.

A short video clip posted on Facebook appears to show an armed police officer walking down Archibald Rd.

St Leonards Rd School confirmed that it was still closed. A post on the school’s website reads: “Please do not try to enter the school grounds.”

He said all the students were safe and accounted for, but would remain locked up until further notice.

Previously, the school said: “St Leonards Road School has been closed as reported by the police. We will continue to provide updates on our website as often as possible. Please do not come to the school or call the school as that you will not be attended to and this may cause a disruption in the handling of this incident and could potentially put the safety of you and / or our staff and students at risk. We will update this website when the closure is complete. Thank you. “

Shortly before 3:30 p.m., a police spokesman said students would soon be allowed to leave schools.

“Given the end of the school day, the Police will shortly begin a graduated release of students that is being carried out in cooperation with the schools,” he said.

“This will help with any traffic congestion that may build up in the area.”

Police investigations continued into the incident.

Kelston Boys High School confirmed that he was locked up, but said he couldn’t say more.

The school’s evacuation announcement could be heard in the background of the call.

Kelston Middle School said on its Facebook page: “We are taking precautions and following police guidelines.”

Kelston Girls College could not be immediately reached. But Principal Adeline Blair told Stuff that the school had been closed around 2.30 pm as a “precaution.”

She did not want to comment on why.

The incident comes a day after Massey’s Lincoln Heights schools closed following a firearms incident.

The incident comes as police continue to investigate two separate firearm incidents in Massey.

Two people were arrested yesterday after a firearm was reportedly discharged on Keegan Drive in Massey.

Around 2 a.m., another incident occurred outside a property on the same street. Police say initial indications show that eight shots were fired at parked vehicles.

No people were found on the property and there were no reports of injuries.

“This … will undoubtedly be of concern to families living nearby and the community at large,” Detective Sergeant Major Megan Goldi said yesterday.