Police pepper-spray, taser knife-wielding man

A frantic man wielding two boning knives was pepper-sprayed and tasered after threatening members of the public and a police officer in Wellington early yesterday morning.

The officer in charge of Wellington City CIB, Detective Inspector Paul Basham, said police were alerted to a man allegedly slashing tyres and threatening members of the public with a knife along Hutt Rd in Kaiwharawhara around midnight. He was found by a police officer at the Z Service Station on Waterloo Quay a short time later.

Up to six members of the public were there at the time and were worried about his agitated, intimidating behaviour.

Mr Basham said a police officer approached him to calm him down.

‘‘A witness nearby warned the officer the offender was in possession of a knife,’’ Mr Basham said.

Otherwise unarmed, the officer approached the man’s car and peppersprayed him – but strong winds diluted the spray’s effect and the man advanced on the officer holding two boning knives above his head.

Mr Basham said the officer then went back to his car and called for help from a taser-equipped patrol car.

The man was tasered and taken into custody.