<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">A shooting has left two people dead in the centre of Auckland, New Zealand, hours before the city is due to open the Fifa Women's World Cup.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Six other people, including police officers, were injured and the gunman is also dead after the incident at 07:22 (19:22 GMT) on a construction site in the central business district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Chris Hipkins said the attack was not being seen as an act of terrorism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tournament would go ahead as planned, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The public, he added, could be assured police had neutralised the threat and there was no ongoing risk after the incident on Queen Street.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No political or ideological motive for the attack had been identified, the prime minister said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The gunman, he said, had been armed with a pump-action shotgun.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Hipkins thanked "the brave men and women of the New Zealand police who ran into the gunfire, straight into harm's way, in order to save the lives of others".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"These kinds of situations move fast and the actions of those who risk their lives to save others are nothing short of heroic," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, all Fifa personnel and football teams are safe and have been accounted for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opening match is to be held between New Zealand and Norway in the city's Eden Park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sport Minister Grant Robertson said there would be extra police in the area to provide reassurance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ninth Women's World Cup is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, the mayor warned people should stay home and avoid travelling into the city. Mr Brown said it was a "dreadful thing to happen" in his city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police say they heard reports of a person discharging a firearm inside the construction site, and the gunman moved through the building and continued to fire.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The man then went into a lift shaft and police attempted to engage with him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Further shots were fired by the man and he was found dead a short time later, police say.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following the shooting there was a large armed police presence in the central business district not far from the waterfront and the fan park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tatjana Haenni, chief sporting director for National Women's Soccer league USA, is staying close to where the shooting happened.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She told BBC News she had woken up to sounds of police cars arriving and was told to stay inside. "So far we feel safe," she said. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>