Officers and police dogs take down Auckland man allegedly in possession of a shotgun in Point England. Video / Supplied
An Auckland man allegedly brandishing a shotgun was taken down by police dogs during a serious family harm incident in Point England.
Footage supplied to the NZ Herald shows the man being hit in the upper body with what police describe as "non-lethal rounds" that knocked him to the ground on Saturday afternoon in the east Auckland suburb.
A police dog can be seen racing towards the man after he was hit.
Auckland City Police detective inspector Aaron Pascoe said officers were called to the address about midday for an serious family harm incident.
They were informed the man had allegedly smashed up an Anderson Ave property and had access to a firearm.
Pascoe said the police negotiation team tried to get the man to exit the property for some time. He emerged about 2.10pm, allegedly with a shotgun in hand.
After reportedly ignoring requests from police to drop the weapon, officers arrested the man with the assistance of police dogs, Pascoe said.
The man was taken to Auckland Hospital with moderate injuries.
"This was a very serious incident where a member of the public had an unlawful firearm and our staff have acted quickly to ensure that our community and our police staff were kept safe," Pascoe said.
Eyewitness Nicole (not her real name) watched the incident unfold and saw the man being driven away - clearly injured.
"You could see the blood on his face and stuff," she said.
Nicole was first alerted to Saturday's events by the extensive police presence, which consisted of at least eight police vehicles, 25 officers and a helicopter.
Nicole said she saw the man, armed with what looked like a shotgun, emerge from the house and begin yelling at police. While she couldn't hear what he was saying, Nicole heard police advising the man to drop the weapon and surrender.
The man allegedly returned to the house for 20 minutes, in which time about six Armed Offenders Squad members arrived. Other officers secured the area.
As he came back outside, Nicole said she saw the man point his gun straight up in the air above his head, before police allegedly hit him with a non-lethal round in the leg.
She said the man fell to the ground before getting to his knees. Nicole said the man appeared to raise his weapon again, at which point it looked like police hit the man once more in his shoulder or chest.
Police dogs were used in the take-down of an Auckland man allegedly wielding a shotgun on Saturday. Photo / File
Nicole then saw two police dogs released. She said it looked like they grabbed the man by the face and leg - prompting a reaction from the crowd of onlookers.
"A lot of people were yelling because the dogs were dragging him around and it was a while, at least a minute of dogs on him," Nicole said.
