Police are actively seeking a man who pointed a firearm in the face of a Police officer during a footchase in the early hours of this morning.
At around 12.55am this morning, officers attempted to stop a car that was showing as stolen, on Selwyn Street in Onehunga. The driver, believed to be 25 year-old Hayden Rizvi, failed to stop for Police and fled. The stolen car travelled to Three Kings and the driver stopped the car and ran away.
A Police officer chased the man but he suddenly stopped running and pointed a firearm at the officer’s face. He then fled over a fence and has not been located.
The officer was not injured but was shaken. He is being supported by Police welfare assistance and his colleagues.
“This is completely unacceptable. Our staff are not robots, they are human beings with families and friends like everyone else. They come to work to help people and the irony is that if this man called Police and needed help in some way, our officers would do their very best to help him. Having a gun pointed in your face should not be seen as being ‘just part of the job’” says Inspector Jacqui Whittaker, Auckland City Police.
“I am appealing to Hayden Rizvi to give yourself up. Have some form of dignity and come to us” she says.
Hayden Rizvi, who is around 180 centimetres tall, Caucasian and of thin build, has previous links to the Porirua area and is thought to be of no fixed abode in Auckland. There are 15 warrants for his arrest for range of serious offences.
It’s the second violent offence against a Police officer in Auckland in less than 24 hours.
A 33 year-old man has been charged with assaulting Police, after he punched an officer in the face during a routine roadside stop yesterday morning. The officer had pulled him over on the Southern Motorway and had asked to see the man’s licence, when the man punched him in the face. The officer suffered a black eye and a chipped tooth.
“I say this again, the people who would assault our staff are the ones who will still call us when they are in need. And our officers would go into situations that many would run from, to help these people. To assault the people who would save you is cowardly and intolerable and I know the law-abiding public will be equally appalled by this” she says.
Anyone who knows where Hayden Rizvi is should call 111 immediately. He is considered to be dangerous and should not be approached. If you wish to provide information anonymously please ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Beth Bates/NZ Police
Media: Inspector Whittaker is available for interview. Please call Beth to organise a time.
