Armed police are at the scene of a death in the Auckland suburb of Hillcrest.

Officers were called to Ocean View Road just after 10 pm on Tuesday after reports of an altercation, police said.

The circumstances of the man's death were unclear and it was being treated as unexplained.

One person was arrested at the scene, but charged with an unrelated matter.

A worker from a traffic management company earlier told RNZ there had been a shooting.

Residents said on social media a helicopter was flying overhead on Tuesday night.

A police tent has been erected on the berm outside the property.

Ocean View Road was closed between Pupuke Road and Alton Avenue, Auckland Transport said.