Altercation in Invercargill leaves man with serious head injuries

Police stand guard outside a house in Drury Lane in Invercargill's Grasmere suburb. Photo / Giordano Stolley

Police are still hunting a person of interest after one person was left with critical injuries after an altercation in Invercargill yesterday.

Emergency services were called to an address in Drury Lane, Grasmere, around 3.30pm where a 26-year-old man had suffered serious head injuries.

He was taken to Southland Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.

Police are still determining the cause of the victim's injuries, but said it does not appear that the victim has been shot - despite multiple reports from nearby residents that someone was.

Police are now seeking sightings of a vehicle believed to have been involved in the altercation.

The vehicle was seized by police last night in Mataura. It is a 1994 Toyota Etoile, registration CHK625.

Police would like to hear from any members of the public who saw this vehicle either before or after this incident occurred, a statement said.

Earlier yesterday afternoon police, including the armed offenders squad, swarmed to the Invercargill suburb of Grasmere.

Heavily armed police officers cordoned off both sides of Drury Lane between Haywood Street and Bay Road, stopping bystanders and even residents from entering.

Numerous residents spoken to by an Otago Daily Times reporter said they had hear a man had been shot in the head.

Ramu McCallum, who was returning from work was one of those stopped from entering the road.

"I didn't expect to come home to this. It's pretty crazy."

Damian Duffy, a resident who lives on Drury Lane, opposite the cordoned off section, said he was about to leave for work when he saw the police cars converging on the shooting scene down the road.

He said the first police vehicles he saw arriving at scene did not use their sirens.

"An ambulance showed up and it was there for five to 10 minutes."

He said he had heard that it was a Mongrel Mob member that had been shot.

"It's usually a very quiet neighbourhood," said his partner, who did not want to be named.

Anyone with information should contact the Invercargill Police on 03 211 0400, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.