Armed police gather outside a house in the Dunedin suburb of Abbotsford yesterday. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sergeant Kevin Davidson, of Mosgiel, said armed police were assembled after two reports of a single gunshot in Abbotsford about 12.30pm.
People making the reports believed the noise came from the same house in North Taieri Rd.
Police set up a cordon at the house and attempted to contact the resident by phone.
After the attempts failed, several armed police approached the house and called for the residents to exit.
A man came out first with his arms in the air before police searched the house.
''We were happy there were no firearms there,'' Sgt Davidson said.
''We are no further ahead. It may have been a firearm but we don't think so. We think it is possibly a car backfiring but we are not sure.''
