Undercover officer Don Wilkinson died after being shot a number of times, post mortem results have confirmed.

The fatal shot was to his chest, said Superintendent Ted Cox, Commander for Auckland Metro Crime and Operations Support (AMCOS).

Mr Wilkinson, 46, and his partner, 44, were shot while working on a covert drug operation in the early hours of Thursday morning.

They were trying to install a tracking device on a car outside a Mangere house being used as a suspected P lab when they were disturbed by occupants of the house, chased 75m down the road and shot at.

Mr Wilkinson’s partner, whose name is suppressed by court order, is continuing to recover from his injuries and remains in hospital.

A 37-year-old man has been charged with murder and a 33-year-old man charged with assault over the incident. Both have appeared in Manukau District Court and will reappear next week.

Now the autopsy has been completed, Mr Wilkinson’s body will be released to his family and plans for his funeral will be made over the weekend.

“It is too early to say what form the funeral will take, but it is likely to be held within the Auckland area and towards the later part of next week,” Mr Cox said.

Investigators are today still examining the Hain Ave property the officers were working at when they were attacked, and are continuing with their local area canvasses.

They are also still examining a storage facility where a quantity of chemicals was found.

Yesterday, search warrants netted guns, cash, drugs, precious stones and gold for the inquiry team, along with what may be the car used to chase Mr Wilkinson and his partner.

But Counties Manukau police crime manager Detective Inspector John Tims said police were keen to speak to a man who was fishing or eeling in a creek behind the Hain Ave property.

Mr Tims said the man had dark skin, was of solid build, in his 30s, and was wearing a green hoodie-type jacket and no shoes.

Mr Cox said yesterday’s search warrant executed at a bank vault resulted in police finding three firearms, $120,000 cash, pseudoephedrine with a street value of $52,000, precious stones worth $200,000, and 15 30-gram gold medallions of an unknown value.

An air rifle had earlier been found at the Hain Ave property, although it was not yet known if it was the rifle used to shoot Mr Wilkinson.

Members of the public have been invited to visit Manukau police station to write in a tribute book for Mr Wilkinson which would eventually be presented to his family.

– NZPA