A man has been charged with murder after a woman was shot dead in West Auckland last night.

Police arrested a 34-year-old man over the death of the woman, who was found with gunshot wounds on Newington Road in Henderson shortly before 9pm on Tuesday.

The man is due to appear in the Waitākere District Court today.

"While we are in the very early stages of our investigation, we believe this was an isolated incident and the pair are known to each other," Detective Inspector John Sutton said.

"We want to reassure the community that we do not believe there is a wider risk to the public."

Cordons remained in place overnight and a scene examination will continue today.

Police staff this morning at the scene of the fatal shooting of a woman last night Photo / Tom Dillane

Resident heard bangs, 'my stomach dropped into my guts'

A resident in Newington Rd told the Herald she called police at around 9pm last night.

"Usually there's random fireworks all year around here but this was like 'bang bang' and then a pause and then sort of two other shots and then [a] woman screamed, and then I was like 'f***, scary'. And then my stomach dropped into my guts."

The neighbour said she didn't know who lived at the house where the woman died but she thought it was down a row of houses.

After the shooting and screaming "you could hear a car burning away" before the police arrived, she said.

"I know that the gangs are around the corner and over the bridge. That's where they usually are. They're pretty close.

"They often have their meetings and there's motorcycles screaming everywhere. But they don't usually come this side of the river."

A tent is erected outside a property where a woman was fatally shot in Henderson last night. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The river the woman was referring to is Oratia Stream, which is just behind the row of houses where the woman was shot.

Despite the gang proximity, the Newington Rd resident insisted it was generally a very calm, quite street - aside from some screaming children.

"Nothing's ever happened before. It's a really lovely street."

Woman died despite immediate first aid

The woman was found critically injured when they were called shortly before 9pm.

A spokesperson said immediate first aid was provided however she died at the scene.

One person is in custody following a firearms incident in Henderson this evening.

"While we are in the early stages of our enquiries we want to reassure the community we do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public."

Armed police outside the Henderson property where a woman was fatally shot last night. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A resident on Robert Burke Place in Henderson said she heard shots followed by a woman screaming.

"We heard four large gunshots, the sound of a car door slam and a car speeding away," the woman said.

She claimed there had been arguing between a man and a woman shortly before the shooting, "but we couldn't make out what was said".

"After the shots, we heard a distressed woman's voice yelling, 'What the f***' over and over again.