Person with toy gun sparks motorway closure, armed police callout

Police can be seen parked up in a row along the edge of the northbound lanes of State Highway 20 near the Queenstown Rd off-ramp just after 9am today. Image / NZTA

A person with a toy gun sparked an armed police callout and the brief closure of an Auckland motorway off-ramp.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Authority said police temporary blocked all northbound lanes about 9.10am today.

A police spokesperson said they received a report from a member of the public who reportedly saw a person with what was believed to be a firearm near an address in Vetori Place, Clover Park, about 8.40am.

A vehicle has then travelled onto the motorway, before it was stopped by police on the vehicle on State Highway 20 northbound.

Police were speaking with the occupants of the vehicle and it had since been established the firearm was an immitation toy gun.

SH20 SOUTHWESTERN MWY - POLICE INCIDENT – 9:10AM
A Police incident temporarily BLOCKED all northbound lanes near the Queenstown Rd off-ramp. All lanes were quickly CLEARED and congestion in the area is easing quickly. #EyesOnTheRoad. ^MF pic.twitter.com/faK0TIIJIo

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 9, 2020

The motorway lanes had been cleared and congestion in the area was beginning to ease.