An innocent man wants an apology after police held him at gunpoint in a case of mistaken identity.
Plimmerton groundsman Regan Ingley was pulled over, yelled at and forced to lie on SH1 with a gun pointed at his head on August 28 when police mistook him for Northland gunman on the run Josh Kite.
Kite, who has a history of criminal offences, has evaded police since Friday after he allegedly shot at two unarmed officers and escaped a cordon.
Ingley, who said the ``15 minutes of pretty terrifying stuff'' left him too shaken to drive, would like an apology from police.
``The fact I've had no contact since is quite gutting in a way. Even just a `hey Regan we're really sorry for holding you up at gunpoint' would be fine.''
Ingley was driving back to Plimmerton from visiting a friend in Manawatu around 11.30pm.
He passed a truck and soon after noticed a police car was following him. He thought he had done something wrong by passing the truck. But then one police car became two, and two became three.
``The next minute it was just all on. Lights, sirens, everything.''
Ingley said the officers yelled at him over their megaphone to get out of the car and to walk backwards with his hands in the air. Bewildered and wondering what he had done he complied. He saw at least three guns and one was only 30cm from his face.
``The main thing I was thinking was `is this the end? Am I going to get shot?'
``I was walking backwards but every time I turned around to look where I was going they kept yelling at me to face forwards.
``I kept asking what the hell is going on and one said `don't f**king worry about it'.''
Once the police found his licence and verified he wasn't Kite they said he could drive off.
Ingley said the whole incident was an eye opener to how scary a brush with law enforcement can be. He said he's had no contact since the incident and feels like there should be more support.
``The annoying part was afterwards they said `go on your way'. But I said I can't bloody drive I'm shaken but they just said `best you be on your way'.
``You guys just had all your rifles pointed at my face and you want me to have a quick stretch and be on my way?''
Ingley sarcastically said he and Kite would look ``similar - to Stevie Wonder maybe''.
Ingley is 167cm tall, slender and Pakeha while Kite is 180cm, solidly built and Maori.
``Even our noses are different though.
``I'm armed with a lawnmower and that's about it.''
The ordeal comes after a tough month for Ingley. His grandfather passed away a few weeks ago and he injured his back badly when a ladder fell on him from a mezzanine floor last Thursday.
``It's been all on... One day at a time.''
Area Commander Manawatu Inspector Sarah Stewart said armed officers stopped Ingley's vehicle in Te Horo and spoke to the occupant after receiving information from a member of the public that they believed they had seen Mr Kite in the vehicle.
``Given the seriousness of the events surrounding the ongoing search for Mr Kite, and considering the fact he was believed to be armed, staff responded appropriately and swiftly in the interests of protecting the public by stopping the vehicle and questioning the driver.
``It was a very short time period until his identity was confirmed and at that point the senior officer spoke with the driver and explained the situation and reasons for tactics, and throughout ensured his welfare was taken care of.
``When it became clear the driver was not Mr Kite, he was released to go on his way.''
Any sightings of Kite should be immediately reported to police by calling 111.