Attribute to Acting Central District Commander Tania Kura:
At around 8.20 am this morning, police attended an address in Whanganui to locate a 49 year old male who was wanted by police.
Staff were supported by officers of the armed offenders’ squad.
The male was not at the address when police attended. At the same time, police received a report about an individual at a nearby address who matched the description of the man police were looking to locate.
A police dog handler began tracking from this address which took staff through several nearby properties as the offender attempted to evade police.
As the offender moved through a number of properties, we understand he threatened a female resident with a gun and a number of were cordons were established in the area as police worked to locate the offender.
The offender emerged from a property on Plymouth Street where he was challenged by police. He responded by presenting a handgun at police and two shots were fired at the offender.
We now believe he sustained injuries to his leg and his head from these two shots. Police gave immediate first aid to the offender at the scene. He was then treated by ambulance staff and is in a stable condition.
During the course of these events a second individual in the area was arrested by police. We are still establishing exactly what connection he had to these events.
We are now in the very early stages a very significant investigation into this matter which is the aim of building a full picture of what occurred this morning.
This investigation will continue throughout the Easter weekend and we’ll be conducting a detailed scene examination on a number of locations including Plymouth Street.
The IPCA has also been notified as is standard for events like this and they will be conducting their own investigation. Staff involved have been sent home for the day and we are providing them with welfare support.
From the information available to me at this time, I am satisfied this incident was managed professionally and appropriately by those staff involved.
I appreciate there will be many questions about this morning and our investigators will be working diligently and professionally to establish exactly what happened.
I would like to acknowledge the shock of the community here in Whanganui about what happened. I would however like to emphasise this is an isolated incident and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to the wider community.
ENDS
Media note: An audio recording of the media stand-up is available for request from Nicholas.Barkley@police.govt.nz