A man who scaled the downtown Auckland ferry building, halting traffic by refusing to get down from the rooftop, metres away from the site where a mass shooting unfolded the day prior, had been on bail and was being hunted by police.

The 21-year-old man appeared in Auckland District Court today facing a fresh charge of unlawfully being in a building.

He was remanded in custody till Monday.

The man who cannot be named for legal reasons was on electronically monitored bail for previous offences and had a warrant for his arrest when he allegedly entered the downtown Auckland Ferry Building.

Yesterday two men forced Auckland’s transport network to a halt, causing hours-long disruption by refusing to get down from the top of the Ferry Building.

The 65-year-old man had been bailed after being taken into custody from the scene. He will appear in district court on Monday.

Part of downtown Auckland has been cordoned off after two men scaled the Ferry Building on Quay St, a day after a shooter killed two men on a construction site across the road. Photo / Will Hainsworth

The duo had scaled the Ferry Building in downtown Auckland, closing roads nearby as emergency services responded to the event metres across the road from where a shooter killed two men on a construction site on Thursday.

About 5pm yesterday, police said they had taken the pair into custody. Police negotiators offered them fast food to get them down.

Police negotiators are at downtown Auckland's Ferry Building after two men scaled the building, and the area has been cordoned off. Photo / Alex Burton

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Quay St, between Lower Albert and Commerce Streets, was cordoned off from about midday.

“Police spent several hours negotiating with the two people, who have been brought down from the top of the building safely,” a police spokeswoman said.

Police said there was no immediate threat to the public, but the area was cordoned off as a precaution.

Police negotiators were at the scene on Quay St after getting calls about 12.15pm.

“One person remains atop the building, while the other is inside the clocktower,” a police spokesperson said earlier.

A witness told the Herald a man had broken into the building yesterday when the shooting incident unfolded.

“Six or so police officers went to the roof. The man has been there for an hour now,” the witness said.

“At first police said there was no harm but he has a fire extinguisher [and] the building has been evacuated,” he said.

Auckland Transport told commuters to expect delays going to and from the ferry wharves, that cancellations were possible, and bus services were also impacted.

Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.