Man with machete shot dead by officers

Police say firearms ‘‘will always be a last resort’’ after a 29-year-old man was shot dead by officers near Pohuehue, north of Auckland, on Saturday.

The man, from east Auckland, had threatened the officers with a machete before they opened fire, Superintendent Tusha Penny said. He died at the scene and could not be revived.

The police spokeswoman said the man’s name could not yet be released, as his family was still being notified.

Police will carry out two investigations into the incident: one criminal, and one focused on police shooting policies and procedures. The Independent Police Conduct Authority will also investigate.

The incident unfolded about 3.10am on Saturday after a woman in Onehunga phoned the police to report a man, who she knew, acting erratically. Officers went to the address, but the man had left by the time they arrived.

Shortly afterward, a rural police officer noticed a car parked at the side of the road with its hazard lights on near Topuni on the Hibiscus Coast.

The officer pulled in behind the car, but it quickly drove off, before stopping again.

The driver then got out of his vehicle and came around to the driver’s door of the police car, ‘‘wielding a machete and threatening the officer’’, Penny said.

The man got back in his car and headed south on State Highway 1 towards Puhoi, driving at speeds of up to 150kmh, at times with its lights off, she said.

It was spiked near Mahurangi West Rd about 3.50am.

‘‘The first officers got out of their patrol car and the driver from the other car came towards them with a machete,’’ Penny said.

‘‘It is at this point that police fired shots.’’

About 30km of State Highway 1 was cordoned off for 12 hours, causing huge traffic backlogs for holidaymakers heading out of Auckland for Easter.

Penny said the incident was a ‘‘tragedy’’ and her thoughts were with the man’s family and friends, as well as the officers involved.

‘‘Our staff have to make split second decisions, in situations where there is risk to their lives and members of the public.

‘‘No police officer comes to work wanting to end up in a situation like this.’’