WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand police deployed specialist armed officers to a suburb in West Auckland on Wednesday morning after responding to reports that a shot may have been fired.

“Police are making enquiries ... The Armed Offenders Squad has been deployed to the area as a precaution,” a police spokesman told Reuters by phone, adding that major roads in the area had been cordoned off.

Local media reported schools and preschools in the area were in lockdown.

The country has had a high security alert in place since March 15 when a gunman attacked two mosques, killing 50.