Rotorua lockdown incident: Man charged for making alleged hoax call

Armed police were on the scene. Photo / Stephen Parker

A firearm incident which caused a Rotorua school and kindergarten to go into lockdown has been revealed as an alleged hoax.

A police spokeswoman said a 22-year-old man had been charged with using a phone for a fictitious purpose.

The call, made around 2.42pm yesterday, alleged a person was threatening another person with a firearm at a Homedale address in Pukehangi.

The Armed Offenders Squad responded and cordons were put in place.

Central Kids Kindergarten Homedale and Aorangi School were put into lockdown by police as a precaution.