A shot was fired when a fight broke out on the road near the Golden Mile Tavern in Christchurch.
Detective Jo Parks said police are continuing to investigate an early-morning conflict on Trents Rd, Templeton.
She said police could confirm there was a fight on the roadside near the tavern and it appeared a shot was fired.
A man ran from the scene and left in a vehicle. He did not appear to be seriously injured but the incident was still a concern, Parks said.
"I would like to hear from the victim of this incident to ensure he is okay and in a good place - we have got footage from the event that shows him being assaulted," she said.
"We would like to hear from the public in the area of Trents Rd this morning who may have noticed a car or cars leaving the area, anyone who saw the fight, or anything that looked out of place."
The incident did not appear to be related to any of the homes in the area.
Parks said police were collecting CCTV footage and asked those in the area with cameras to review the footage from this morning and call police on (03) 363 7400.
State Highway 1 remained closed at the intersection with Trents Rd and Kirk Rd while the police carried out a scene investigation.