Two men have been charged following an incident at a house on Otaki Place in Palmerston North on Friday 12 April.

Police were called to the house at around 2am, following reports of a man behaving aggressively towards a woman at the property.

When police arrived at the house, they encountered a man who was obstructive, and he was taken into custody.

Officers then began communicating with a second man, who remained inside the house.

The man subsequently came to the door and pointed what appeared to be a pistol at the officers.

The officers immediately retreated to a safe place and called for support.

The Armed Offenders Squad and Police Negotiation Team responded and worked for several hours to communicate with the man and bring the incident to a safe conclusion.

The man was taken into custody at around 7am. Officers then searched the house and located a pistol and a rifle, along with a third firearm that had been dismantled.

“This incident demonstrates the kind of situation our people are called to every day, and shows how quickly things can escalate,” says Acting District Commander, Inspector Cliff Brown.

“I want to commend the officers involved for the calm and measured approach they took to an evolving situation, which led to a safe outcome for all involved.”

A 26-year-old Palmerston North man has been charged with two counts of using a firearm against a law enforcement officer, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He appeared in Palmerston North District Court on 13 April and has been remanded in custody to appear again in May.

A 27-year-old Hawke’s Bay man has been charged with obstruction and will appear in court later this month.

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