Waikato Police are commending the actions of a teacher following an incident involving an imitation firearm at a secondary school in Paeroa this morning.
Eastern Waikato Area Commander, Inspector Dana McDonald, said the incident began at about 10am when a 14-year-old boy entered the grounds of Paeroa College armed with a plastic, spring loaded imitation pistol.
"The investigation is still in its formative stages as we interview witnesses but it appears our offender has gone into a classroom with a bandanna over his face and threatened a student in the class by pointing the weapon at him.
"The offender has then pointed the imitation firearm at the victim and shot him three times about the head and face. The male teacher in the classroom at the time went to intervene and the offender has turned and fired at him before subsequently firing the device another 3 or 4 times into the wall."
Mr McDonald said the teacher then restrained this offender and disarmed him.
"The teacher has then kept the offender in the classroom until Police arrived and the teenager was taken into custody.
"The actions of the teacher were highly commendable in that he put himself in harms way to protect students in the class. In most situations like this we ask that people don't put themselves at risk and instead contact authorities by ringing 111 but in this case it appears the appropriate course of action was taken."
The offender is currently being assessed at Thames Hospital and the college's emergency plan was activated when the incident began to ensure the safety and well being of all parties at the school.
Mr McDonald said Police will be working with the school and Ministry of Education to establish the course of events and the best way of supporting all of the people present at the school at the time of the incident.
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