Police today named him as John Maeva, a 25-year-old whose partner is seven months pregnant with their second child together.
They say they are confident of an arrest for the killing which was one of three serious violent incidents in the Counties-Manukau police district during the weekend.
Mr Maeva was shot three times, twice in the head and once in the side with a .22-calibre weapon, as he was returning home early Sunday morning.
He was father and stepfather to six children ranging in age from one to 13 years.
Family spokeswoman Tua Huri described Mr Maeva as much loved by his wider family.
"The family are doubly hurting, it is one month since our family matriarch, John's grandmother died," she said.
"He used to be a caregiver for his grandmother. To be experiencing the loss of John so soon after our grandmother hurts."
Mr Maeva's partner was inside the family home and ran outside after hearing shots to find him lying in a poll of blood.
The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Inspector John Tims, of Counties-Manukau police, said post mortem examination results showed Mr Maeva received three bullet wounds; two to the rear of his head and neck area and the third to the left side of his torso.
Mr Tims said the "cowardly attack" was not random.
Police had talked to the man's partner and neighbours, and had a clearer idea of what had happened.
The gunman was described as a Maori man aged about 30, 170cm tall and of medium to solid build with short hair. He drove off in a black sports car.
Today, police continued with the scene examination and area canvasses.
"We have been talking to a number of people both yesterday and today. We believe there is a definite connection between Mr Maeva and the offender," Mr Tims said.
Police were following up positive leads and Mr Tims said they were confident of an arrest.
Witnesses said an offender got out of a vehicle and shot at the victim with a .22 calibre firearm, he said.
Mr Maeva's body was released to his family this afternoon.
His death came as part of weekend of violence that kept Counties-Manukau police busy.
About 2am yesterday police in Papakura responded to reports of a group of people fighting near netball courts on Smith Avenue, Papakura.
They found an unconscious 19-year-old man on the ground with critical head injuries.
The victim was taken to Middlemore Hospital where he remained in a critical condition tonight.
"We want to hear from people who were in the vicinity of Smith Avenue and Bates Road, Papakura, around 2am on Sunday," Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, the officer in charge of that investigation, said.
Police have been conducting area canvasses in the surrounding locations to where the victim was found.
"We have been interviewing witnesses and gaining better understanding of the victim's movements throughout last Saturday evening and early Sunday morning," Mr Gutry said.
The victim's name has not yet been released.
Police are also investigating another shooting on Saturday night.
A 15-year-old Polynesian youth was walking on Windrush Close in Mangere about 9.50pm when he was shot in the leg by a male in what appears to be a drive-by shooting.
The victim was admitted to Middlemore Hospital for treatment.
"We have spoken to the victim today, he is recovering from the gunshot wound to his left leg," Mr Gutry said.
With the assistance of the public and witnesses at the time, "we are following good lines of inquiry", he said.
Police are appealing for public assistance with any information on the three incidents.
Yesterday Auckland Assistant Police Commissioner Steve Shortland said the northern communications centre received over 1100 calls between 10pm on Saturday night and 7am on Sunday morning.
Counties Manukau bore the brunt of the workload with police responding to a large number of incidents.
Meanwhile increased security was in place at Middlemore Hospital in south Auckland where the victims of two shootings and a beating were treated at the weekend.
The hospital said it had stepped up security in the short term because staff were worried about their own security.
Brad Healey, general manager of medicine at Counties Manukau District Health Board, said the incidents were putting significant stress on staff who were left wondering when the next serious incident was going to arise.
