One police officer died and another was seriously injured in a shooting incident in New Zealand's West Auckland. The officer died after being rushed to the hospital, the police said on Friday.

"At around 10.30 a.m., a police unit has performed a routine traffic stop on Reynella Drive. There have been shots fired at police officers," said Superintendent Naila Hassan, Waitemata District Commander, adding that local police were responding to an unfolding serious incident in Massey, West Auckland.

Reports indicate the offender fled the scene in a vehicle. An active search is underway. Authorities advised all members of the public to avoid the area. Local schools are on lockdown due to the incident.

Two persons of interest were being spoken to by the police and a firearm was also located on Friday afternoon. However, New Zealand Police commissioner Andrew Coster did not confirm whether the people being spoken to were the offenders of the shooting incident.

"This is devastating news. Our police officers work hard every day to keep us and our communities safe," said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a statement.

New Zealand further tightened its firearms laws on Thursday in the wake of the last year's Christchurch mosques massacre, when a lone gunman murdered 51 Muslim worshippers.