UPDATED 1.27PM: The man shot dead by police in central Auckland last night was a 21-year-old Slovakian wanted in connection with three armed robberies on the city's North Shore.

David Cerven, 21, entered New Zealand on March 20 on a 12-month working holiday visa, Auckland City District Commander, Superintendent Richard Chambers, told a media briefing this morning.

Police notified Cerven's family overnight.

Waitemata Police had enough information to arrest Cerven on Saturday, Mr Chambers said.

He was wanted in connection with the knifepoint robbery of a dairy on East Coast Road at 6.40pm on Saturday and two robberies at liquor stores in the last week.

Police have revealed little about what happened in the fatal shooting.

Both police officers who confronted David Cerven in Myers Park fired their weapons within moments of each other.

They retreated and called for back-up.

A well-placed source told the Herald that two armed officers then approached Cerven who allegedly continued to approach them carrying what appeared to be a firearm.

"They were about 10 to 20 metres away from and right in the line of fire…they have both assessed the situation as an immediate fatal threat and discharged their weapons around the same time."

The entire episode was recorded on CCTV cameras in the park, which will be examined by investigators in three separate inquiries.

It is still unclear whether Cerven was indeed carrying a weapon, or how many rounds were fired by the two officers.

"Last night's tragedy unfolded after he called Police on 111 at 7.23pm saying he was in Myers Park and was wanted by Police in relation to offences," Mr Chambers said.

Mr Cerven insisted on Police attending at the park, which officers did.

"When he was located he told the officers who engaged with him verbally from a distance that he was armed. Consequently unarmed staff retreated and requested armed officers to attend. The entire episode was recorded on CCTV cameras in the park and this footage will prove invaluable to the three investigations that are now underway."

Mr Chambers said the death of Mr Cerven was tragic in every sense and a reminder that threats to use firearms are treated seriously and responded to appropriately to ensure the safety of police staff and members of the public.

"The officers involved in last night's shooting will receive support and appropriate advice as they face up to the challenges of a homicide investigation and the microscope of the IPCA and internal investigations that will be carried out thoroughly."

Peter Kiely, the honorary Slovakian consul in Auckland, said Mr Cerven was one of 100 young Slovaks in the country on a one year working holiday visa. The consul was not aware of where Mr Cerven had been working or where he had been living during his time in the country.

Mr Kiely said he had the contact details of Mr Cerven's next of kin and was attempting to contact them.

"At any one time there are 100 young Slovaks in New Zealand," Mr Kiely said. "They're part of the working holiday visa programme and he was one of those."

"I hadn't met him and he hadn't had any contact with the consulate. We only have contact with them if there is a problem."

"In the 20 years I have been consul I haven't had an incident like this before."

Mr Kiely said he had no idea what had gone wrong during Mr Cerven's stay for him to end up being shot dead by police in a park.

There are roughly 350 Slovakian permanent residents in New Zealand, Mr Kiely said.

"The community is very small."

Cerven is believed to have been living in Australia before coming to New Zealand in March on a working holiday visa, according to a police source.

Police investigating two armed robberies of liquor stores on the North Shore identified the 21-year-old as a suspect, after items belonging to him were left at a dairy, which was also robbed at knifepoint on Saturday night.

Auckland man Blair Robson was standing down near the park after the shooting happened when he spoke to two witnesses staying at different hotels, neither of whom saw a gun being held by the victim.

The pair's version of events only differed about the number of shots fired, estimated to be between five and six.

"One saw the shooting from a balcony in the Quest Hotel and the other saw the shooting from the balcony of the Amora Hotel.

"Their version of it was that the deceased was cornered and the police said 'don't move' and the deceased then said 'get fucked' and moved not even an inch and police immediately opened fired with 5-6 shots."

Mr Robson said he asked both if they saw a gun and one said no, while the other said it didn't look like he had a gun.

List of police shootings in New Zealand

* June 8, 2013. Adam Te Rata Charles Morehu, 33, was shot and killed after shots were fired at police at the New Plymouth Golf Club in June 2013. The IPCA later said poor communication and a lack of command and control during this incident contributed to the events that unfolded;

*July 15, 2011. Anthony Ratahi, 46, was shot and killed as he struggled with a police dog following a siege in Opunake, 65km south of New Plymouth. He had been holding ex-partner Marcelle Beer hostage at the Headlands Hotel for 12 hours prior to the killing;

* March 28, 2011. Lachan Kelly-Tumarae, 19, was shot four times by an officer after a police chase in Omahu, near Hastings. Kelly-Tumarae was killed after he stopped his car and pointed a gun at officers;

*June 28, 2009. Shayne Sime, 42, was shot dead by police after a two hour standoff with police in June, 2009, which left an officer and a neighbour injured in the Christchurch suburb of Burnside. Mr Sime, who was wheelchair bound was believed to be depressed at the time and his death was later ruled a suicide;

*23 January, 2009. Halatau Naitoko, 17 - an innocent bystander - was shot dead by police on Auckland's North Western Motorway. Mr Naitoko was caught in the cross-fire of police aiming at Stephen Hohepa McDonald, 50, who had fled and shot at police from a stolen car following an aggravated robbery;

* October 23, 2008. Lee Jane Mettam, 37, was fatally shot by a member of the Armed Offenders Squad in 2008 after she threatened to kill the staff of a Vodafone store in Whangarei and aimed her rifle at police;

* September 26, 2007. Stephen Bellingham, 37, shot dead by a policeman in Christchurch about 8.30pm after smashing cars/car windows with a claw hammer. Said to have been on a party-pill binge. Advanced on the police officer with the hammer. Warned but kept advancing. Hit in chest (fatally) and one leg;

* August 14, 2004. Haidar Ebbadi Mahdi 37, died from a bullet to the head as he stabbed his wife being held in a headlock in a South Auckland house on Saturday afternoon;

* April 30, 2000. Steven Wallace, 23, of Waitara, shot after a window smashing spree in the town;

* July 1, 1999. Edwin Leo, 31, shot near Helensville, Northland, following a car chase;

* September 21, 1996. James Raharuhi killed by a single police bullet at a service station in Greenlane, Auckland;

* June 24, 1996. Terence Thompson shot in a Havelock North orchard. Thompson was the prime suspect in the slaying of Constable Glenn McKibbin;

* November 20, 1995. Barry Radcliffe shot after taking a rifle from a sporting goods store in Whangarei;

* September 28, 1995. Eric Gellatly shot in Invercargill, after he took over a sports shop in the central city and began firing indiscriminately;

* July 29, 1993. Larry Hammond died after being shot three times in the Morrinsville police station;

* November 14, 1990. Members of the anti-terrorist squad shot David Malcolm Gray after he killed 13 people at Aramoana, Otago;

* October 27, 1990. Paul Melvin Stowers died after being shot in the forehead by a detective whom he threatened with a shotgun in Newmarket, Auckland;

* March 14, 1986. Benjamin Wharerau shot as he took a hostage in a robbery of a Dargaville bank;

* June 6, 1985. Kevin David Fox was shot after he killed his wife in a car in Gore;

* April 18, 1983. Paul Chase shot by the armed offenders squad in a raid on a Petone, Wellington, flat;

* December 24, 1982. John Edward Morgan shot near Wainuiomata, Wellington, after throwing an axe at police;

* May 20, 1979. Nicholas Panayi shot by the armed offenders squad outside his Henderson, Auckland, home after a domestic dispute;

* October 4, 1976. The armed offenders squad shot Daniel Houpapa after he fires at an officer in Taumarunui;

* 1975. Edward Ross shot by the armed offenders squad as he stabbed his daughter after escaping from a Christchurch psychiatric hospital;

* April 16, 1970. Bruce John Glensor, holding two hostages in a Wellington house shot by the armed offenders squad when he threatened to shoot an officer;

* December 14, 1949. Waata Haremia Momo shot in Weedon, Canterbury, after exchanging shots with police;

* October 20, 1941. West Coast farmer Eric Stanley Graham killed after shooting three policemen and three civilians.