A gunman is at large after pulling up in the car park of a popular beach and gunning down a teenager.
The teen was found with a gunshot wound at Newcastle's Bar Beach shortly before midnight on Wednesday, police said.
Paramedics could not save him with treatment and he died at the scene.
A man pulled up after two groups of people were fighting in the car park, police said.
He exited his vehicle, opened fire on the victim and then fled the scene in his SUV.
The dead man has not been formally identified but police believe he was aged 18.
The SUV was found burnt out in a nearby suburb a short time later.
"This is a senseless incident, this is an incident the community won't stand for," Acting Superintendent Steve Benson told reporters.
"We assure the community we have a large team of investigators supplemented by the homicide unit.
"The use and possession of unregistered firearms and prohibited weapons in our society is and remains a top priority."
Police believe the fight between the two groups of people had been organised, but do not think it was linked to the shooting.
Nick Brown, who was involved in the fight, told Nine News the victim had been harassing them before the scuffle but said the group had "cuddled" and shaken hands afterwards.
"I didn't know they were just going to jump out with big weapons like that and shoot the poor guy," he said.
"I just ran for my life ... I ran really fast, and I jumped on the grass, and I was rolling down.
"I've never run that fast ... I just kept running. I was going to get shot as well."
Asked how many people were involved in the initial fight, Supt Benson said there were "several people in two groups".
"But again, that's something that will be borne out throughout (Thursday and Friday) when we speak to those people that were involved," he said.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley, whose electorate takes in areas south of Newcastle, said the shooting was ghastly.
"We're not used to this sort of violence on our streets ... we don't see criminals getting around with guns," she said.
"In fact, gun crime is very rare. This has come as a shock to the community."
