Police in incident in Far North after alleged shooting at police

Police are responding to an incident in the Far North district, after they allegedly shot each other.

A witness, Buck Lane, told the Herald that he was driving through the area just before 6 a.m. when police stopped his vehicle.

“A police officer said that the police had been shot,” he said.

“There was an assailant still on the loose.”

NZTA said that a “police incident” had closed State Highway 11 between Puketona Junction (SH10) and Haruru.

Another witness said he was driving down Puketona Rd at around 5.45am when he noticed a police car parked on the side of the road and a work ute behind it.

The ute had the hazard lights on, he said.

“There was a guy behind him in the back of the ute. He was looking up and down the road.”

The witness, who asked not to be identified, said that just because he did not see a police officer and there were no flashing lights, he thought the scene looked strange.

The highway worker was wearing an orange high-visibility shirt, he said.

He said the two vehicles were parked not far from Broadspectrum, a local quarry.

By the time he returned, parts of the highway were closed, the witness said.

Motorists in the area are told to avoid the area.

“Use SH1 and SH10 for trips to (and) from Paihia,” said NZTA.

Meanwhile, some residents along Puketona Rd, within the cordon, are locked inside their homes and unable to go to work.

They are waiting for the news that it is safe to venture, said one.