Six people have been taken into custody in Auckland, New Zealand after an incident involving multiple BB guns and armed police that sent a North Shore mall into lockdown.

Armed officers descended on Glenfield Mall last night and erected cordons after reports of a person with a firearm.

Comments on social media show shoppers were told there was a gunman on the ground floor, and that some people took refuge in a safe room.

In a statement, police said they received a report that there was a person with what appeared to be a firearm at Glenfield Mall about 8pm.

The spokeswoman said police were armed as a precaution and the mall went into lockdown of their own accord.

Source: NZHerald