Dunedin police now believe a shotgun was used in a drive-by shooting in Thomas Burns St last Friday.
Heavily armed police rushed to the central Dunedin area, near the skateboard park, where there were several reports of a loud bang coming from a car at 4.40pm.
They later swooped on an Ocean View house in search of a potential perpetrator, but nothing was found.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said damage to the bonnet of the car suggested it had been hit by a shotgun blast.
‘‘The victim’s car has been stopped at the lights near the pedestrian overbridge.
‘‘Another car has driven past, seen it and then turned around, and then a shot’s been fired by a passenger.’’
He said the victim fled the scene and was left ‘‘shaken’’ but not injured.
He did not believe the incident was gang related.
‘‘Not as far as we can tell, but it’s still pretty early days. We’re still following lines of inquiry.’’
Witnesses at the scene described hearing a loud bang, one saying he thought a car had exploded or that there had been a crash.
Shattered glass, which police cordoned off to inspect, could be seen lying on the kerb near the overbridge to Anzac Square.
Police dog teams and the armed offenders squad later searched a Brighton Rd property, between Creamery Rd and Edna St.
The road was cordoned off by armed officers for about 45 minutes, causing traffic to become backed up.
Officers had been trying to locate a person of interest in relation to the alleged shooting.
Snr Sgt Bond said inquiries were ongoing.
