Man surrenders after hostage drama, shooting and sword attack

UPDATE - 9.45am

A man who surrendered in Auckland at dawn today after a sword and gun attack, allegedly fired at police as they chased him through suburban streets.

One woman lost both her hands and a second woman lost one hand about 7.30 last night after being attacked with a sword in the small Hauraki Plains township of Pipiroa, 16km southwest of Thames.

Both women were taken to Thames Hospital before they were airlifted by rescue helicopter to Middlemore Hospital about 8.45pm where they spent hours having emergency surgery to re-attach their severed limbs.

Details of the two injured women, aged 25 and 27, have yet to be released.

About midnight that night, a 25-year-old Mangere man was shot at the Highland Park movie complex in Pakuranga. He later died.

At a media conference in Otahuhu this morning, police said the incident at Highland Park involved four people.

Several shots were fired at three of the people but it is believed the man who later died from gunshot wounds was not in the car when he was shot.

Detective Inspector Steve Rutherford said the man died shortly after he was shot about midnight.

Mr Rutherford said police followed a car after the shooting when they were tipped off by member of the public.

He said several shots were fired at police from the car. No one was injured, but Mr Rutherford said he did not know if any cars were hit.

The man being followed by police after the shooting headed into a rural area of East Tamaki where he tried, unsuccessfully, to break into one house.

"He went to a further address where he took a middle-aged man and woman hostage," Mr Rutherford said.

"Police specialist squads were assembled and negotiations with the alleged offender took place over a four or five-hour period.

"Fortunately one of the two hostages was able to escape from the house uninjured.

"I am pleased to be able to tell you sanity prevailed finally on daybreak and the alleged offender released the second hostage and surrendered to police. That person is now assisting police with their inquiries."

Mr Rutherford praised the bravery of the two hostages.

They were "extremely brave and most grateful to have come through this ordeal, which is everyone's nightmare, reasonably okay at this stage," Mr Rutherford said.

"I have got no doubt that as the day goes on and they realise the full picture, they will be devastated."

He said neither the two hostages nor the dead man were thought to have been known to the gunman.

He would not comment on the motive for the attack in Pipiroa which began the night of violence.

Nor would he release details of the sword used in Pipiroa or the gun used to shoot the man at Highland Park and later shot at police.

He said police were particularly interested in hearing from a man in a white vehicle which was at a Caltex service station near the Highland Park shooting.

That man may have recorded some details, including the registration number on his car, Mr Rutherford said.

"We are making an appeal for that good person to make contact with us so we can get his side of the story," he said.

A Westpac rescue helicopter spokesman said the service received a call at 8pm yesterday to say two women had been attacked with a sword and suffered double amputations.

Both had partially severed arms and lacerations to the face and one woman's hand had been totally severed, he said.

Auckland police communications supervisor Karon Klink later confirmed the two women were attacked. She said limbs had been severed but did not have details.

A 34-year-old unemployed south Auckland will today appear in Manukau District Court on a variety of charges.

- NZPA