Two men shot at a police vehicle in Northland early this morning, damaging the windscreen but leaving the officers unharmed.
In a statement this afternoon, police said they believed the shooting may be connected to a kidnapping.
They said a man turned up at a property in the Far North settlement of Matauri Bay about 8am asking for help, after being kidnapped.
"Thankfully this man has not sustained serious injuries during the incident and he is speaking with us to ascertain a full set of circumstances," Detective Inspector Dene Begbie said.
Police also found a car which had been set alight about an hour's drive inland - on Puketōtara Road near Ōkaihau - just before 5am.
Begbie said police were trying to work out if the car was the same one driven by the two people who shot at a police officer 45 minutes earlier.
He said the officer who was shot at was not physically harmed but was feeling shaken.
Police are appealing for any information or sightings of a grey or silver Nissan Skyline with the registration MWD839 in the area this morning.
"This kind of incident is totally unacceptable and of concern to both Police and our community," Begbie said.
"I would like to reassure the Far North community that we are taking this matter seriously and we have a determined team of investigators working to bring those involved to account."
