Armed police officers blocked off Hopper St in Wellington. Photo / Melissa Nightingale
Armed police officers blocked off Hopper St in Wellington. Photo / Melissa Nightingale
Armed police have lifted cordons around a central Wellington street after responding to a potential firearm threat.
Officers used a drone to clear the Mt Cook apartment before Armed Offenders Squad staff entered, but the person they had hoped to arrest was not present, area commander Inspector Dean Silvester said.
“Officers were at an apartment block on Hopper St to execute an arrest warrant about 10.30am. Shortly after, police were given reason to believe a firearm may be present. They withdrew from the immediate area, and cordoned and contained the address,” Silvester said in a statement.
At 12.50pm, police used a drone to clear the apartment.
“The subject of the warrant was not at the address and inquiries to locate that person are ongoing. ”
Police confirmed two people were detained from the address and subsequently released.
Armed police officers blocked off Hopper St in Wellington. Photo / Melissa Nightingale
Silvester confirmed the arrest warrant was not related to an incident at the city’s Pukehinau Flats on Sunday afternoon, in which a member of the public was shot at.
The victim was fired at with a shotgun and fell from a second-floor balcony as he fled the gunman, Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said.
During today’s unrelated arrest warrant, the property in Mt Cook was searched but no firearm was found.
“Police would like to thank residents and members of the public for their understanding while this incident was resolved. We appreciate the disruption caused, but will always take the threat of firearms seriously,” Silvester said.
Police were seen carrying rifles at the scene. Photo / Ethan Manera
“With cordons now lifted, people in the area are free to come and go as normal.”
Armed police, some carrying rifles, earlier had patrol cars blocking the intersections of Webb, Hankey and Hopper St.
A member of the public who works in the area said police told them they could be there for hours, and said “there’s a bad boy who we need to get”.
They said they saw two people, a woman and a man, arrested and taken away in handcuffs just after midday.
