A woman is facing charges after an imitation firearm was pointed at a girl's head during a fight involving Auckland school pupils.
A video shows a woman brandishing the alleged starter pistol during a fight between Ōtāhuhu College pupils at a car park last week.
Police say a 20-year-old woman has been charged with threatening to cause grievous bodily harm and carrying an imitation firearm with criminal intent, and she will appear in Manukau District Court.
Police confirmed the incident allegedly involved a starter pistol which has been handed into police.
"The incident occurred last Thursday after school hours, was not on school property and the person arrested is not a student of the school," said Detective Senior Sergeant Tom Gollan of Counties Manukau CIB.
"Police responded at the time to the incident and have been conducting follow-up inquiries."
An investigation was launched after the brawl was filmed and shared on social media, police said.
"You touch my sister again, touch her, touch her," a woman with the imitation gun can be heard yelling in the video.
She then walks over to a woman in the green jumper and presses the gun to her head.
"Get the f*** out of here right now," the woman yells while still holding the gun.
This morning, Manukau ward councillor and former police officer Alf Filipaina said the person with the firearm "deserves" to be held accountable.
"Whoever she is ... she needs to be held accountable, definitely held accountable, whether it was fake or not."
But he said that "doesn't diminish" the threatening behaviour that was on display.
"Whether [the weapon is] real or not, the fact that she decided to do it that way, and she decided to pull it out of her pocket ... that is concerning," he told the Herald.
"She ended up trying to be the gangster girl by doing what she did."
He said the behaviour looked like something out of a movie, and he believed it was a "one-off" incident.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the incident was "of real concern" and the community should avoid becoming like the United States, where guns are "commonplace".
Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault said in his 20-year career he had "never seen a firearm anywhere near a school kid".
He said the incident was "abhorrent" and "quite extraordinary for all the wrong reasons".
"It's alarming at best, and incredibly inflammatory and incredibly dangerous. Think of the damage it's doing to everyone who witnessed it, particularly the young person with an [imitation] gun at their head.
"I'm really concerned for both people on either side of that because all of their decision making was wrong."
Couillault said any issues involving firearms among young people or school students in the community "hasn't been something on our radar".
"We've all, as a country, been concerned about increased firearms-related incidents with grown-ups in the community.
"Certainly it comes as a real shock that such behaviour is happening around teenagers. We are all hoping this is an extremely isolated incident and doesn't repeat itself."
As principal of nearby Papatoetoe High School, he said there will be students in the community who will be concerned, anxious and needing support following the incident.
"The thing about our community is everybody knows everybody.
"I am sure a combination of councillors, deans, police community support services, community leaders will be addressing this in whatever way they can."
Filipaina is calling on Ōtāhuhu College to address the incident with students, otherwise rumours will "go rife".
"That's why it's good for the school to have sessions with the students to say 'hey look, let's talk about this' and that way it stops all the rumours.
"You put the rumours to rest."
It is an offence under the Arms Act to possess or use an imitation firearm without a lawful, proper and sufficient purpose, the New Zealand Police website said.
"Blank-firing imitation firearms can be considered 'firearms' under law, especially if modified.
"Toy guns are not covered by the Arms Act but many look like real guns from a distance. Police are regularly called by members of the public who are concerned about people pointing guns which turn out to be toys."
The New Zealand Herald was sent the video by a parent from the school, who was concerned about her children's safety after seeing the incident.
"I am keeping my child at home until I hear back from the school that this has been resolved and some sort of consequences is there with these students."
Ōtāhuhu College principal Neil Watson confirmed the school had been made aware of the video on Saturday.
"We have a member of the public with what looks like a firearm. We're helping the police with their inquiries, and our priority is the safety and security of our families and students."
Police said they are continuing to work closely with the school involved.
The school's board of trustees and the Ministry of Education have been approached for comment.
