Rotorua police have arrested two people after a shot was fired during a dispute on Taharangi St that was believed to be gang related.
Rotorua CIB Detective Sergeant Garry Hawkins said police were called to a fight on Taharangi St, in the suburb of Koutu, about 11am on Saturday after receiving reports of a fight and that someone had a gun.
A further report stated a gun had been fired with police setting up a cordon on the street as a precaution.
Armed Offenders Squad members were not at the scene.
Just before the cordon was set up, a number of people in a car also arrived at the house where the shot was fired and went into the house.
Mr Hawkins said police with a loud-hailer asked the people in the house to come out, which they did, and five people were taken into custody.
He said two men aged between 18 and 23 were charged with various firearms-related charges and will appear in the Rotorua District Court tomorrow.
"Yes, there was a shot fired. But they all left the house without any issues.
"There is also an element of gangs, but we are not entirely clear about it at this stage.
"Obviously we are very concerned about any firearms incidents, especially in residential areas around innocent people, which was why prompt action was taken, and to recover firearms from people who shouldn't have them."
Mr Hawkins said the weapon involved was a rifle and no-one was hurt during the incident.
The incident comes just days after another suspected gang-related call-out on McIntyre Ave on Wednesday last week.
Residents of the street were locked out of their homes for more than three hours as armed police surrounded a house looking for a man with links to a gang.
Police told the Rotorua Daily Post at the time they had a search warrant but needed help from the squad given growing gang tensions in recent weeks.