Child could have died in shootings, police say

A child could have been killed in shootings in Palmerston North overnight, police say.

A woman was shot in the leg and another woman and a child narrowly missed being shot in the two separate incidents, which police believe are linked.

Palmerston North CIB Detective Sergeant Brett Calkin said the first shooting was reported at 1.20am today, when several shots from a high powered rifle were fired at a house in Manson Street.

The shots passed through the walls of the house and hit a 21-year-old woman who was sleeping at the time.

The woman is expected to undergo surgery this morning, Mr Calkin said.

Several children were at the address at the time.

About one hour later several shots were fired at a house in Botanical Road, also with a high powered rifle, Mr Calkin said.

Bullets passed through walls of the house, narrowly missing a sleeping woman and child.

"These are both very serious incidents and it is fortunate that no-one has been killed," Mr Calkin said.

He said the people behind the shootings had endangered the lives of women and children.

"Both shootings were the acts of cowards. I am not sure what the offenders hoped to achieve but if they wanted to shoot an innocent woman and scare some helpless young children, then they succeeded."

Mr Calkin appealed to members of the public who would not normally call the police to come forward to help with the case.

"I would appeal to them to think about what might have happened in this case. A child could have been murdered."

- NZPA