Police shoot man in Waikato

A man was shot several times by police in Waikato overnight after allegedly firing at officers.

The incident followed an alleged domestic incident at Kerepehi about 9.50pm, Hamilton police Area Commander Inspector Greg Nicholls said.

Details of the incident were given at a press conference in Paeroa today.

Following the domestic dispute the a man and a woman from the house left in a vehicle which was later stopped by police on State Highway 2, Mr Nicholls said.

"Police were fired upon and we engaged with the offender.

"He was shot a number of times," Mr Nicholls said.

The 50-year-old man was flown to Waikato Hospital by helicopter and was in a stable condition.

"As you can appreciate we are in a formative stage of the investigation and details are scant at present.

"What I can say is there is a lot of work ahead of us, there are three investigations that are currently underway.

"One looks at the circumstances of the event, the second looks at the policy, practice and procedures that were carried out during the course of the incident, and the third is one conducted by the Independent Police Conduct Authority."

 

A senior officer from outside of the district was being brought in to oversee the investigations, Mr Nicholls said.

The woman was in a relationship with the man, 3News reported.

She was not injured during the incident, but police did not know how she came to be in the vehicle with the man.

The woman would be speaking with police and helping in the investigation, 3News said.

Police and a forensic team would today be going back to the scene on State Highway 2.

The highway, between Orchard East Road and Wharepoa Road, would be closed for most of the day, police said.

Heavy transport operators and motorists should take an alternative route such as SH1, SH27 and SH29 where possible.

- By Rebecca Quilliam of APNZ

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