School students flee 'armed' intruder

Students fled for cover this morning as an apparently armed man approached the grounds of one of the country's top schools.

The man, dressed in army fatigue-style clothes, screamed at students as he waved what turned out to be imitation firearms beside Auckland Grammar School.

Deputy principal Wayne Moore said several boys were at the school when the man appeared, at about 8.15am.

"I think the person was unstable. He was shouting and waving the gun around," Mr Moore said.

Staff alerted police who moved in quickly. Mr Moore said when officers arrived the man removed his army gear and stood quietly while arrested.

Inspector Scott Webb, at the police northern communications centre, said the man had been taken into custody.

"The arrest was made without incident and the weapons were plastic imitations," he said.

Mr Webb said the incident happened too quickly for the armed offenders squad to respond but a police patrol was near the school and was quickly on the scene.

He would not say if the police were armed but said when officers were first alerted to the incident they were seriously alarmed, not knowing the firearms were imitations.

"You don't know at the time. Staff were pretty close at the time and were able to deal with it pretty quick. Otherwise it could have definitely been something a lot more serious.

"When you first hear that sort of job reported you know the indications are it is going to be a serious one."

Police had originally indicated the incident happened within the school grounds.

Mr Webb said people did not seem to understand how foolish and dangerous it could be if police believed an imitation firearm was real.

Police often had no choice about shooting someone if they believed a firearm was real and if it was pointed at them.

"You haven't much choice if you believe it is one. There have been instances of that throughout police history."

He said from a few metres, it was almost impossible to tell if a firearm was real or an imitation.

A 40-year-old unemployed Mt Eden man was to appear in Auckland District Court on firearms charges today.

The man, a beneficiary, allegedly had a replica airgun similar to an M-16 military rifle, an imitation plastic pistol and a plastic knife.

Acting Detective Sergeant Tony McKenzie, said the man's mental condition would be assessed.

"He is possibly unwell," Mr McKenzie said.