Halatau Naitoko was driving on the Northwestern Motorway on his way back from a courier pick-up in Avondale when a man known to the police tried to carjack his van about 2pm.
Mr Naitoko's devastated family learned of his death only when the company expecting the package he was delivering called to complain it was two hours late.
The family had been watching the story on the news and had not realised the white van they were watching was theirs.
Mr Naitoko worked for his mother's Kiwi Express business. Assuming he was stuck in traffic, the family learned he was the victim only when police arrived and asked if Mr Naitoko had a scar on his forehead.
Police said the innocent victim died and a truck driver was injured after a pursuit that began after a bag snatching and carried on through several West Auckland suburbs.
Auckland police district head Superintendent George Fraser could not say last night whether the fatal bullet came from police.
"The situation is that we have an armed offender firing shots.
"We have also a situation where shots were fired by police in response and the investigation has only just commenced and we'll be working through those details."
Asked who police fired shots at, Supt Fraser said: "Shots were fired by police in response to the armed incident unfolding."
Supt Fraser said the man caught at the scene was in custody.
Speaking to The New Zealand Herald after inviting the newspaper into the family's home in Mangere last night, Mr Naitoko's grandmother, Matalupe Fuimoana, said her grandson, nicknamed Tau, was a smiley, happy person who loved sports.
He was also an "amazing father" to his 2-year-old daughter, Stephanie.
Mrs Fuimoana was stunned by the tragedy - made worse by the possibility that police may have shot him.
"For what; what did he do? He was just doing his job," she said. "The truth is he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The second oldest of nine children, with five brothers and three sisters, Mr Naitoko was excited about the upcoming arrival of a younger brother, due in two days.
Police have appointed an "independent" officer from outside Auckland, Detective Inspector Peter Devoy, to head an investigation into the incident.
Supt Fraser said: "I must stress to you that this was a dangerous and continuing action throughout the entire period that police engaged.
"We're not dealing with one isolated instance of shots being fired. The shots being fired were of a continuous nature throughout this ordeal.
"The firearm was produced in a random manner, but also shots were fired at police as the vehicle travelled across Auckland.
"At the conclusion, with the apprehension of the offender, a weapon was seized. This weapon has been identified as a .22 sawn-off rifle."
Supt Fraser was not sure if the offender shot at the police Eagle helicopter.
