Police continue hunt for those behind Wattle Downs suspected double homicide

Police have been hunting through the night for those responsible for a suspected double homicide in Wattle Downs, South Auckland, on Thursday.Emergency services responded to reports of a woman unresponsive at an address on Gambare Place about 1.45pm.The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and, during a search of the property, police found a man who was also pronounced dead.Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Va'aelua said the offender or offenders fled the scene prior to officers arriving.On Thursday evening, armed police stood guard in front of the house, as neighbours looked on.Dianna Kereopa-Turner had lived in the street her whole life. She told RNZ she had just returned home when "havoc started going on" outside."We thought it was our nail gun for our sleepout that we're building going off ... and then it was quite loud," Kereopa-Turner said."But no, it was shooting. All we heard was gun. Then my sister came out of her room and said 'somebody out there's shooting', so we gathered in whoever was loose around the house and stayed inside."She said the victims had only just moved in to the street: "It's sad to know that whatever trouble was following them, obviously followed them right to the doorstep, and unfortunately it happened on this street where there's a lot of kids and a lot of elderly people."Cordons in place around the house.RNZ / Erin JohnsonMany residents had been unable to return to their homes on Gambare Place and adjoining Volante Avenue while police cordons closed the roads on Thursday afternoon, with armed police stationed at the cordons.Another Gambare Place resident, Bobbie, said she had been at the doctors and tried to return home around 2.45pm."The street was already closed off, so I thought, 'oh better shoot over to the school and pick up my niece', got over there and it was locked down as well."Bobbie said they were allowed to go home just after 5pm.She said, once home, she talked with neighbours and some were quite shocked.While the cordon was in place, police were seen working behind a white tarpaulin on Volante Avenue. Police later confirmed staff had moved the victims to a safe location, away from the scene, to render first aid, while other staff continued working to clear the scene and make it safe.Va'aelua said the incident appeared to be isolated, but police were not able to "rule anything out", and were now determining the exact cricumstances of the incident."This is an awful set of events and no doubt unsettling for everyone involved and the wider community."Anyone with information on the incident that could help police with enquiries could contact 105.