Dunedin cafe raided after gunshot victim flags down ride to hospital

Armed police at the scene in Moray Place on Sunday. Photo / Oscar Francis

A man who had been shot in the liver flagged down a passing car to get a lift to a hospital from an anarchist space in central Dunedin, which armed police later raided.

A person affiliated with Yours, a worker cooperative cafe and arts venue in Moray Place, said it was unclear where the shooting had happened and even police did not seem to know.

The incident was first reported to emergency services at 3.05 am today.

‘’We’re still trying to work out the details of why and how it happened,’’ the person said.

The victim was shot in the liver and was related to the co-op, which appeared to be why he had driven himself to the space after the shooting.

The shooting is understood to be otherwise unrelated to the space.

There, he tried to call an ambulance but ended up flagging down a car in the street outside to take him to the hospital.

He had since received surgery and was now doing “alright”. Police this morning said the man was “reported to be in a serious but stable condition”.

Armed police remained outside a cordoned-off Yours today while investigations took place.

Police at the scene in upper Moray Place about 3.45am on Sunday. Photo / Supplied

“I think this might be the only crime scene they have at the moment,” the person said.

At about 3.45 am, a witness saw police cars and officers standing in Moray Place which had been cordoned off at Dog With Two Tails and the View St intersection.

About 4 am, video footage taken by another witness showed officers from the Armed Offenders Squad, supported by a dog team, surrounding Yours and ordering any occupants to come out.

The car driven by the victim, a blue hatchback parked across the road from Yours, was retrieved by police shortly afterwards, the video shows.

A staff member at a nearby business said police had cordoned off the street, from the Princes St traffic lights to the pedestrian crossing near View St, when she arrived for work at about 9.45 am today.

Police appeared to be searching for something in the street, using torches and looking under cars.

Officers escorted her in but it was not until about half an hour later that police began allowing customers through the cordon, the staff member said.

A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said they were notified at 3.05 am but was not required.

Police said investigations were ongoing after a man suffered a gunshot injury in Moray Place, which was reported at 3.10 am.