A gunman shot by Christchurch police last night was on the run after allegedly firing at officers days earlier, police say.
The shooter remains in hospital under police guard today after being shot in the lower body.
Superintendent John Price told media this afternoon that the incident was still being investigated.
Police had tried to pull the car over last night, but the driver fled and later tried to run over an officer laying road spikes, Price said.
The man then got out of the vehicle and fired at police several times. Officers returned fire and struck the gunman. They then provided first aid to the man, Price said.
It's understood the man had been hiding out after reportedly firing at a police car during an early morning pursuit on Saturday.
Police signalled for the man to stop on Anzac Dr, in the eastern suburb of Wainoni, just before 1am. But he took off and aimed a gun at the police car.
"Officers saw what they believed to be shots fired through a window of the car, towards the police car," said Superintendent Lane Todd, Canterbury Metro Commander.
"Police immediately abandoned the pursuit."
Last night's drama unfolded after the gunman failed to stop for police on Breezes Rd about 7.20pm.
His dark grey Holden car was spiked and came to a stop on Eveleyn Couzins Ave in Richmond.
Onlookers then witnessed a terrifying gun battle between the man and chasing officers.
"The man presented a firearm, believed to be a shotgun, and fired at police," Price said. "Police returned fire and the offender was shot in the lower body."
Officers immediately issued first aid and the man was transported to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries. This morning police said he remained in a serious condition.
Police staff involved in the incident are receiving support.
"Our police staff come to work every day to ensure the safety of the public and no officer should ever be put in this position," Price said.
People at a community meeting in Richmond last night were so terrified when gunshots rang out that locked the doors and hid under desks.
Witness Cathy Allden was attending the meeting at Avebury House when shots rang out nearby.
"The first thing that we heard was all the sirens getting closer and closer. Then we saw [a car] come up onto the pavement and all the police cars behind.
"The next minute, the driver gets out of his car, comes around the front near the passenger side - with an automatic gun in his hand, and he just started to open fire.
"You could just hear the gun going off and then the return fire."
Allden said everyone at the nearby meeting went into "earthquake mode", locking all the doors and getting under desks.
"Then we saw that they had him pinned to the ground and it had all settled down."
She described the offender as confident and intent.
"He wasn't scared. He confidently got out of that car, went around the front and opened fire.
"He wasn't nervous and seemed quite intent in what he was doing and how he was doing it. He didn't hesitate or have to think about it."
She believes that police were justified in returning fire.
"Without a shadow of a doubt. It was definitely the gunman that acted first, and whatever they did was the right thing to do. I don't have a scrap of anything that would say otherwise."
The incident is the second police shooting in Christchurch less than a week.
A man was fatally shot by police during a roadside shootout last Thursday after robbing a Kawerau bank.
The Mongrel Mob member was suspected to have used methamphetamine.
Police attempted to stop the man's vehicle between Kawerau and Edgecumbe but he failed to stop.
About 10.20am the vehicle stopped on State Highway 30, near the Te Teko racecourse.
Officers from the Armed Offenders Squad went forward, the offender presented a firearm at them and fired a shot. The officers returned fire, hitting the man.
First aid was administered, but the man died shortly after at the scene. No officers were injured.
