“Police stopped nearby, and approached the man who had since walked to a nearby address on Brentwood Ave. He was confirmed to have a warrant for his arrest. However, after police attempted to take him into custody, he became agitated, presenting a firearm at the officer before fleeing the scene,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
Police today corrected their earlier statement that said he was believed to have been involved in an earlier incident where a gun was pointed at a member of the public while walking on Featherston St.
The spokeswoman confirmed this incident actually occurred after he had pointed the gun at police.
Police put cordons in place around the area on Tuesday and responded with armed officers as a precaution. However, the man was not found.
“We will not accept violence or attempted violence against our officers, or anyone in the community. We are out there every day working to keep our communities safe in what is increasingly a hostile environment,” the spokesperson said.
“We are providing support to the officer involved in this incident – while they were fortunately not physically harmed, the impact on this officer cannot be underestimated.
“If you saw the incident, or know the person involved, and have not yet reported information to us, please contact police on 105 either online or over the phone and reference file number: 250212/1858.″
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice, and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
