Fatal hospital shooting

Police at the entrance to Tauranga Hospital. Photo / Joel Ford

Upset staff were ordered to stay inside the emergency department of Tauranga Hospital yesterday when a gun-wielding man appeared at the doors.

Police were called to the hospital shortly after noon following reports of a gunshot and the discovery of an injured 76-year-old man outside.

Staff took the man inside and attempted to resuscitate him but he died a short time later.

Police said no one else was being sought in relation to the death.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board chairwoman Mary Hackett could not confirm whether hospital staff would receive counselling, but said in normal circumstances the board would do "everything possible" to help.

"It's a very, very distressing thing to happen and a very sad incident," said Hackett.

"It happened outside the emergency department. He's actually a man from Rotorua and was not a patient at the hospital.

"I understand he drove on to the site and got out and ... we can't stop people doing that.

"We will do everything we can for staff and I'm sure that everybody will take every care for the staff."

The man's death has been referred to the coroner.

He was found outside the hospital's emergency department near the main entrance. The scene was quickly cordoned off by police and security guards. A rifle was found near the body.

Tauranga police senior sergeant Glenn Saunders was unsure whether anyone had spoken to the man immediately before his death.

A man living near the hospital, who did not want to be named, said he heard a loud bang.

"We just thought it was a car backfiring. We didn't see people running or anything, there wasn't any activity or anything."

Health board communications manager Carol Wollaston said staff were "understandably upset" by what had happened, but disruption to the emergency department had been minimal.

Staff were not evacuated from the department.

Yesterday's incident follows an armed police callout at the hospital in May when Shane Matthew Johnson, 36, arrived at community mental health offices carrying an imitation pistol.

Johnson was sentenced to six months' home detention and 150 hours' community work.