Serious assault, shots fired in Kaingaroa

About 00.40 am this morning Northcomms received a call about shots being fired in Kaingaroa township.
Police from Murupara and Rotorua attended, and the Armed Offender Squad from Tauranga was dispatched.
Enquiries revealed that 2 persons had been assaulted with an axe and that they had received serious injuries to their faces. Other persons who intervened were threatened with a sawn-down firearm by the same offender during which time some shots were fired.
Armed Murupara and Rotorua staff escorted ambulance staff into the township via a safe route. They located the first victim at his home address. He was in a serious condition. They located the second victim at a second address. Both victims were taken to Rotorua Hospital.
The Armed Offender Squad later arrived at Kaingaroa and reported at 04.40 am that they had located and taken into custody a 49 year old local who is the alleged offender.
Police are still clearing the house where that person was located and are searching for the firearm and the axe that was used.