Pubdate: Thu, 10 Mar 2016
Source: Marlborough Express (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2016 Independent Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.marlboroughexpress.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1139

OFFICERS SHOT DURING CANNABIS RECOVERY

Four police officers are being treated in hospital after they were 
shot during an armed incident in the Bay of Plenty.

All four were shot at a rural property near Kawerau.

The officers were taken to hospital and a "major police operation" 
was under way.

The scene remained a "live situation" with the shooter yet to be 
arrested last night.

Local residents described hearing gunshots and seeing wounded police 
officers loaded into a helicopter.

"They were running along with their guns and we knew something 
serious had happened," said Lyndsey Penwarden. "Then we saw the 
injured police officer being put into the helicopter - it was really sad."

Residents say the police had been in the area since at least 
lunchtime and were reasonably relaxed but their tone changed abruptly 
later in the afternoon.

A shot was reportedly heard near Hahuru Marae.

Another resident, who only wanted to be identified as Jo, said she 
arrived home about 1.30pm and police allowed her to jump her fence to 
get some things from her house. She went to Whakatane to get her 
teenage daughters and by the time she returned the whole police tone 
had changed.

Resident Marilyn Cawthorn described how police suddenly changed.

"All of a sudden they said: get out of here, now - move."

Acting Police Commissioner Mike Clement said one of the shot 
officers, aged 30, was in Lakes Hospital in a stable but serious condition.

Two others, aged 38 and 43, were in Whakatane Hospital in a stable condition.

He said that about 10.45am, three shots were heard by police staff 
who were in the area on a cannabis recovery operation, which included 
aircraft. Another shot was fired at an aircraft about 11.30am and 
armed police staff cordoned off a rural property in Onepu Springs Rd, 
near Kawerau and about 70 kilometres from Rotorua.

The armed offenders squad from Rotorua was deployed to the scene and 
arrived soon after 1pm. About 3.45pm, it was confirmed three police 
officers had been shot and injured at the address and were taken to 
Rotorua and Whakatane hospitals.

A fourth officer was shot in his hand in a separate incident after 
the offender fired from the house.

Clement, who is standing in as Police Commissioner Mike Bush was en 
route to Australia, said: "I think that you all agree that while our 
staff work in a dynamic and sometimes dangerous environment, it is 
always distressing for us all when officers are injured while doing 
their duty to keep this community safe."

Police confirmed that the NZ Defence Force had deployed a tactical 
lift helicopter and three light armoured vehicles.

Whakatane Beacon editor Geoff Mercer was at the northern end of the 
roadblock. Police cars, tactical vehicles, an ambulance and officers 
armed with assault rifles 200m south of the northern cordon might be 
an indication of a crucial site in the unfolding scene, he said.

Fairfax NZ
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