Three schools and a pre-school went into lockdown in the Whanganui suburb of Tawhero this morning, after police received reports of a balaclava-wearing gunman.
The reports were received just before 8am at the start of the school run, and the cordons have since been lifted.
The police could not confirm when schools went into lockdown, but said one school chose to do so by itself based on information it had received from the local community.
After conducting a search, police say they are "satisfied there is no longer a risk to the community".
The receptionist at St Marcellin said it had been a dramatic start to the day.
"We are just lucky because all our kids are safe," she said.
At the nearby Tawhero Golf course a staff member said two police cars had set up a roadblock at the Puriri and Totara Street intersection, cordoning off access to the latter.
He said lots of schoolchildren were waiting by the cordon.
Most of the students had already arrived at Rutherford Junior High by the time the lockdown began, said the receptionist.
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