Drunken threats by a 24-year-old Mataura man towards a young woman sparked an armed offenders squad call-out early yesterday.
The Invercargill armed offenders squad (AOS) was called to an isolated farmhouse about 7km west of Mataura at 7.30am.
Police were alerted by a person inside the home, who was concerned about threats of serious family violence involving firearms.
Southern district deployment co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Dunedin, said the AOS established a cordon around the rural property and advised nearby residents to stay indoors.
There were seven or eight people inside the farmhouse, including a child, and the 24-year-old man was threatening a 23-year-old woman at the address, he said.
''Initial reports were of very serious family violence and firearms, so the area was cordoned off and quite a few people in the district were told to stay indoors.''
No-one was injured in the incident, Snr Sgt Benn said.
''It was a case of someone having too much to drink and making some threats, and we were called on the basis of those threats.''
Alcohol was the ''driver'' of the incident, and it served as a warning to all about excessive consumption of alcohol, Snr Sgt Benn said.
The 24-year-old man was arrested and held in custody in Invercargill.
He was charged with threatening behaviour likely to cause violence, and would possibly face further charges, Snr Sgt Benn said.
It was not known when the man would appear in court.
The cordon around the house was in place for three hours and the area cleared at 10.30am.
