KEY POINTS:
A woman has been arrested after the police Armed Offenders Squad rushed to a rural Northland property following reports of shots being fired.
The Armed Offenders Squad was called to a quiet rural area on Whakapirau Rd, south of Maungaturoto yesterday morning, after a call to police reported that a woman was firing shots at people.
Police said a group of four young men and an older woman had barricaded themselves in the Whakapirau Rd dwelling while the alleged armed offender was in a caravan outside.
Armed police, dressed in black clothing with balaclavas protecting their faces, swept into the area and cordoned off Whakapirau Rd about 4.5km away from the house.
Whangarei and Kaipara Police Area Controller Inspector Paul Dimery said the large cordon was to maximise public safety.
"Bullets can carry a fair distance. I wanted to be safe not sorry," he said.
He said a middle- aged woman gave herself up for arrest without incident about 11am.
A neighbouring farmer, who asked not to be named, was taken by surprise when he drove up the road and ran straight into a stand-off between police and the woman.
"I was in the middle of it," he said.
He watched as police took a woman into custody.
"I asked the policeman if it was just a practice and he said, 'No, it's a very serious situation.' The police were very professional" the witness said.
Mr Dimery said the woman was not armed when arrested and was taken to Whangarei police station.
A 58-year-old woman was charged with discharging a firearm and presenting a firearm and was to appear in the Whangarei District Court today.
The Advocate understands the men and woman who had barricaded themselves in the house were taken to Maungaturoto police station to make statements.
Evidence was gathered by officers who remained on the property, which was surrounded by a barbed wire fence and included a large plywood dwelling, two caravans, several scrap cars and an old tractor.
"It's such a surprise that something like this would happen out here, in the middle of nowhere," said the farmer witness.
"It was quite shocking really. It's such a beautiful spot. I've got a million-dollar view from my window."
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
