Photo: Google Maps
Police cordons have been put up on a Palmerston North street after a possible sighting of a man who aimed a gun at an officer in Palmerston North.
A hunt is on for the armed man, who fled the scene in Highbury on Tuesday night.
About 8:30pm police approached a man and established there was a warrant for his arrest. They attempted to take him into custody.
The man then became agitated and presented a firearm to an officer.
Cordons were put up around Brentwood Avenue but officers could not locate him.
The cordons were taken down, but police confirmed these were back up on Wednesday afternoon due to a possible sighting.
Police said there were no further details about the sighting at this time.
Inspector Ross Grantham on Wednesday told Midday Report he believed the public was safe and there was no immediate threat to the community.
Grantham said that police knew who the man was, and asked for him to turn himself in, or any associates to provide any information on his location.
"We have the Criminal Investigation Branch engaged in locating this young man, and we have a very experienced set of detectives," he said.
Grantham would not disclose physically defining features of the man, but stressed police are working hard to bring him into custody.
"I don't think it would help in this situation for us to describe the male because we know who he is, we are looking for him," he said.
"The public are safe with what we know and the actions we are taking."
The same man also aimed a gun at a member of the public as he was fleeing police, who was walking on Featherston Street..
Grantham said police were providing support to the officer involved who was not physically harmed.
They would not accept violence or attempted violence against officers or anyone in the community, he said.
Grantham said further disruptions in the area are possible if he does not turn himself in
Police are asking for anyone who witnessed the incident or know the person involved to get in touch on either 105 or online using the reference file number 250212/1858.
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