A 36-year-old man will appear in court today after allegedly pulling a gun on a doctor at Tauranga Hospital yesterday.
Police said hospital staff alerted them at 3.19pm and a short time later the doctor left the office, telling them the gun was real and the man was very upset.
Around 200 staff and patients were evacuated from the hospital's mental health unit and four other buildings.
Armed cordons were placed around the hospital building - Jacaranda House - and five streets were blocked off.
Police negotiators contacted the man who was still in the doctor's office by telephone.
He eventually gave himself at 4.41pm and he was taken into custody.
Police said the man would appear in court today on firearms offences.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner of Tauranga police said it was believed the man had a .22 calibre handgun.
He said police would be interviewing the doctor, who was not injured during the incident.
Mr Turner said the man's mental state was not known and he refused to comment on whether the man was known to police.
The incident caused significant traffic delays around the city.
