Police swarm Waikato marae after reports of shooter

A platoon of armed police officers converged on a rural Waikato marae last night as reports of a man telling passers-by someone had been shot put authorities into a full response.

Ambulances sat idle behind a cordon and several roads were blocked as police, believed to number up to 40, tried to ascertain what had happened at the location near Putaruru.

Police first responded to reports of a shooting near the Whakaaratamaiti Marae, 2.5km south of Putaruru, at 4.45pm.

“The calls followed a man approaching passers-by in the area, saying someone had been shot,” police said.

Police found the man who had told people about a shooting after 8pm and said they were trying to figure out the circumstances behind his actions. “We can confirm that there is still nothing to indicate that anyone has been shot and there is no risk to the community.”

Despite the prolific police presence, including the Armed Offenders Squad, the chair of the marae confirmed nothing was going on at the property.

An hour after the callout, Whakaaratamaiti Marae chairman Justin Dick told the everyone on the marae itself was safe but they had been told by police to stay indoors.

A man who lived on Domain Rd, not far from Whakaaratamaiti, told the a man had come on to his property at 4.45pm telling him that there was someone at the marae shooting people.

He said the man then jumped the fence and headed off.

Another person also confirmed someone had told them about a shooting.

Michael Flaws, from the business Kiwi Lumber on Domain Rd, told

a person came on to the property claiming there were gunshots at a nearby marae.

“I personally didn’t hear anything,” he said.

“There are a carload of people at our gate and armed police have just arrived.”