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.
A Palmerston North Chemist owner said police have swarmed a street in Highbury.
Across the street from Botanical Road Pharmacy is a group of flats which he said currently has lots of people around watching police.
James Carroll said the cordons are at both ends of the street.
"We've got quite a big intersection at our end here that's been blocked off by a police car and police officers and then about 30-40 metres down the road, another police car across the road with officers down there too.
"Probably at least 10 to 15 officers we can see but probably more that have gone in to that group of flats."
Carroll said parents are waiting at the cordon for their children who are coming home from school.
"Just school kids trying to get home and get down that road to get to their home, even if they don't live in that group of flats. The Brentwood avenue, the one that is cordoned off is quite a big feed of road for this suburb so quite a few kids would normally walk down that road to get home. They're not able to do that."
"A few parents from those units are standing at the edge of the cordon waiting so they can walk their kids up and a few officers have helped some of the kids out," Carroll said.
He said he feels a lot more safer knowing police are in the area and hopes they have managed to find the gunman.
The gunman has been on the run since Tuesday night.
At 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.
A police spokesperson said the public should avoid the area.
Motorists near Brentwood Avenue should also expect delays.
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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