Armed Man Surrenders to Police in Otago

A 25-year-old man with a gun who had been travelling in a stolen vehicle with a 20-year-old woman and two toddlers surrendered to police at 3pm this afternoon, after being surrounded by the armed offenders' squad, in an incident just north of Palmerston in Otago.

The vehicle the group were travelling in had been stolen from Christchurch two days ago and was believed to be related to a burglary that had occurred in Ashburton overnight.

Southern District Acting District Commander, Inspector Dave Campbell said armed offenders squads from Timaru and Dunedin attended the incident, surrounding the man and woman and two children, in a bushy area just off Horse Range Road, north east of Palmerston. The group had been making their way on foot after crashing the Landrover they were travelling in.

AOS were put into the area by helicopter and apprehended the two adults and children.

During the incident, one shot was fired at two officers at the side of the road just south of Palmerston and a firearm was presented at pursuing officers several times, Inspector Campbell said.

No shots were fired by police in the incident, Inspector Campbell said.

The man has been taken into custody. The woman and children were being treated by medical personnel for minor injuries related to the vehicle crash.