Police at the scene of an incident on Te Ngae Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner
Police are calling for witnesses to provide information after a man was shot in Ngapuna, Rotorua yesterday.
Emergency services were called to Te Ngae Rd about 3.25pm after a man was found with a gunshot wound, a police spokeswoman said.
The man was initially taken to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries but has since been transferred to Waikato Hospital, a Lakes DHB spokeswoman said this morning.
This morning, a police spokeswoman confirmed they were still seeking witnesses to the incident to help with the investigation.
"One person is assisting police with our inquiries to determine the circumstances of the incident," police said.
"We would also like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or who was travelling in the area at the time and has any dashcam footage.
"Anyone who has any information that could assist police with our inquiries is asked to contact 105 and quote file number 210805/5237. Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111."
A witness told the Rotorua Daily Post it appeared police officers arrested an individual on Eruera St about 5pm.
Asked about that incident, a police spokeswoman said one person was assisting the police with their inquiries into Te Ngae Rd event.
The witness, who spoke on the condition they were not named, said he saw police officers pull a person out of a parked car near the AA building.
"They looked startled," he said. "It happened so quick I barely knew what was happening. I only noticed the police cars when their lights flashed, I didn't hear any sirens or brakes squealing."
The witness said the incident took place around 5pm and within minutes, the three original police cars on the scene were joined by around 10 others.
He did not see any police officers with firearms drawn.
The witness supplied a photograph from the incident which showed five police cars on the scene along with a handful of police officers. At least two of the vehicles were dog handler wagons.
Earlier, a reporter at the scene of the reported firearms incident on Te Ngae Rd said traffic was backed up past Tennyson Dr.
A black Ford territory stopped on the median strip appeared to be a focus of police attention.
Police had set up a detour down Vaughan Rd and Tennyson Dr. It was raining heavily and there were several police officers at the scene, she said.
There were about seven police cars and an ambulance had left earlier.
An employee at Domino's Pizza Rotorua said an incident took place near the Redwood Centre, where their store is based.
She said it appeared two vehicles had collided. She said three police cars were on the scene as well as an ambulance. However, she had not seen any armed police officers.
"That's all I can see," she said. "It's clear two cars have crashed but that's about it."
A staff member at the Good Eastern Taphouse on Te Ngae Rd told the Rotorua Daily Post they saw police, the Armed Offenders Squad and an ambulance drive past.
She said they could not see the incident unfolding from the business.
Other businesses in the area contacted by the Rotorua Daily Post either declined to comment or did not see the incident take place.