Ohakune residents on manhunt: 'There's been a huge amount of activity'

Armed offenders squad at BP in Ohakune. Wanganui Chronicle Photograph by Stuart Munro

Earlier this morning there was little sign along the hilly Parapara Rd between Wanganui and Raetihi of the police chase involving Dolphy Kohu and several others.

Staff at Caltex in Raetihi, where the chase would've reached about 3.15am, said police had last been in the area about 7am. They had little to say other than there had been a lot of police cars around.

Armed offenders search for armed fugitives on the run. Wanganui Chronicle Photograph by Stuart Munro

Twelve kilometres east at Ohakune was the first sign of a heavy police presence. Armed offenders officers stopped for refreshments and fuel at the BP service station. A cold rain was setting in on the town by about 10am and many shops and schools had closed on the advice of police. But not all. Nikki Riley was at Pinnacle Accountancy's CBD premises.

"There's a huge amount of police around the area," she said. "There's been a huge amount of activity."

Residents were aware of what was happening but weren't too concerned.

"There has been some warning for town to close and all the schools obviously are very well informed. It's important that they get them sorted out."

Armed offenders squad in Ohakune. Wanganui Chronicle Photograph by Stuart Munro

A few hours earlier this was the centre of the action. Police were rammed by a car about 3.30am. One of the people in the car fired twice at the officers at close range before fleeing.

By late morning, the front of the Ohakune Police Station was lined with police cars as armed officers walked in and out waiting for instruction. A police officer sat in a car on Miro St keeping watch as did other officers at major intersections around the Ruapehu District.

In Waiouru there was little police presence by late morning. The staff at Fastlane Takeaways had seen a lot of police cars earlier but were unsure of the detail. Someone with a gun, they'd heard.