Man due in court after gun pulled on doctor

Police barred traffic from several streets and told bystanders to go inside their homes. Photo / Alan Gibson

About 200 people were evacuated from four Tauranga Hospital buildings yesterday afternoon after a man pulled a fully loaded gun in front of a doctor.

The incident - which began about 3.20pm - led to armed police shutting off part of central Tauranga, bringing traffic to a standstill in several streets for about two hours.

People standing on the footpaths were told by a police officer to get off the footpath and into their homes.

"This is a serious firearms incident," she could be heard telling residents. "You could get shot."

The male doctor was able to leave the office a short time after the man entered. He told police he believed the gun was real and said the man was upset.

It is believed the man did not have an appointment to see the doctor.

While in the office he moved furniture around but Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner of Tauranga police told the Herald last night it was too early to tell if this was to barricade himself in and they were still carrying out a scene examination.

Armed cordons were placed around the building and streets and a police "safe arrival point" was set up a few streets from the hospital.

Police negotiators phoned the man and spoke to him for about 40 minutes before he walked out of the office unarmed about 4.41pm. Police recovered a gun in the office afterwards.

Senior Sergeant Greg Turner of Tauranga police confirmed the gun had been fully loaded.

He said a 36-year-old man would appear in Tauranga District Court this morning charged with possessing a firearm and threatening to cause grievous bodily harm.

"It was a very serious incident," he said.

During the incident the main hospital and emergency services had continued operating, Mr Turner said.

Nobody was held hostage during the incident, and the doctor and staff had handled it very well, he said.

Police were also interviewing the doctor, who was not harmed physically but would be offered victim support for any emotional trauma suffered.

Mr Turner would not comment on whether the man was known to police. The man's mental state was unknown.

Cameron Rd resident Ernie Davis said about half a dozen Armed Offenders Squad members had gathered outside his house, where the safe point was, for what appeared to be a briefing before "hooning off" towards the hospital in two police cars.

Carol Wollaston, communications manager for the hospital, was one of the people evacuated.

She said mostly administration staff worked in the buildings and there were no patients evacuated.

"Nobody was in any danger. It was all handled very efficiently. Full credit to the police."

- With NZPA