Tributes are flowing for a 16-year old Christchurch boy who was killed in a shooting in Casebrook overnight.

Emergency services were called to what police described as a firearms incident at 11.03pm, but upon arrival, Connor Whitehead had already passed away.

A vehicle of interest has been found on Matsons Avenue in Papanui.

His mother’s best friend Chanel Brogan told Chris Lynch his Connor’s mum is “absolutely heartbroken.”

Two Give a Little Pages have been set up.

On one Give a Little Page it said “this beautiful family has suffered a huge loss.”

“A massive hole has been left”

“This young man Conner Whitehead was simply enjoying life when it was taken on Friday night 5/11.”

“Young, full of energy. Loving”

“His mother is deeply upset, as her best friend I have made this page to help support her and her two other children.”

The othert Give a Little page has been set up by Connor’s dad’s family.

A resident who lives behind the police cordon said at 11PM there was a gather of teenagers in the Heaphy Reserve making a lot of noise “so much so it was stopping the residents from sleeping.”

“We thought we would give the teenagers a midnight deadline before noise control was called.”

The resident said “it went silent before midnight and nothing else was thought of it. It was thought a fireworks party was taking place.”

The party started at a house on her street and then moved to the reserve.

“Police forensic teams, and officers had been going door to door.”

“It’s beyond tragic that a family now has to grapple with the loss of a teenager.”

A Christchurch father whose son attended the party said he’s been trying to raise awareness of the issues leading up to what took place last night.

“It’s violent out there for our youth – and as a society, we need to make a change real quick. Gang influence is a major problem.”

Police said they were making “strong lines of inquiries” but no arrests had been made.