Speaking to the Herald, a neighbour alleged a man had entered the complainant’s garage with the sword and had been spotted on security cameras trying to steal a Porsche. The homeowner had called the police upon seeing the man on the cameras.
Police earlier said the man began damaging the property upon being challenged, and on police arrival, he was sprayed with OC spray.
He retreated to a room in the house and refused to come out. He then allegedly became violent and “presented a threat to attending staff while still in possession of his weapon”, police said.
“OC spray and Tasers have been used, and when the man has continued to escalate, a single shot has been fired by a police staff member.
“The Armed Offenders Squad and Police Negotiation Team have then arrived, and the man has been taken into custody with the assistance of a police dog about 2.20pm.”
He was taken to hospital to be treated for a dog bite, and had also suffered a superficial wound to his shoulder.
Court documents show he allegedly attacked a man, using a samurai sword as a weapon, during the fracas.
A court registrar confirmed the defendant is still in hospital, so will appear in court by video link with a custody officer.
One neighbour told the Herald on Wednesday the area did have burglaries sometimes, noting a separate occasion when another neighbour spotted a man trying to break into her garage.
The woman, who said she loved murder mystery stories, was absorbed in her book when she was startled by a police officer knocking on the door to inform her of the attempted break-in.
“I told him he interrupted a very important part of the book,” she said.
She was unfazed by the most recent incident near her house, saying she kept a walking stick beside her bed in case of intruders.
Another local said it was a “horrifying bloody thing to happen in our neighbourhood”.
He said he would be “slightly more watchful” as a result of the alleged burglary.
Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said on Sunday this was a fast-moving situation involving a volatile offender.
“We are fortunate this incident was resolved with no injury to our staff or members of the public.
“We will be ensuring the victims of the initial burglary incident receive support, as they are understandably very traumatised by what’s happened today,” Parnell said.
“Our staff attending the incident will also be supported.”
The matter will be referred to the IPCA, as is standard procedure for incidents of this nature.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
