Crossbow siege ends with arrests

A siege at a Palmerston North shop ended with the arrest of a man alleged to have fired a crossbow at passers-by.

Palmerston North police said the incident started about 4pm yesterday, when the man is alleged to have fired a crossbow bolt at "persons known to him", following a domestic incident.

Armed police lobbed tear gas canisters through a window of the shop, which caught fire. The shop's one occupant was pulled to safety.

The arrested man was taken to hospital, and would be interviewed later, police said.

A second person, who broke through a police cordon to assist the offender, who was known to him, was also arrested, and charged with obstruction.