Man describes end to dramatic police chase in Kawerau that saw shots fired

May 27, 2020

Tui Tawera says the person taken into custody is “the dog, one of the brothers”.

A Bay of Plenty man has described the end to a dramatic police chase in Kawerau that saw shots fired.

According to police, around 11.25am they began a pursuit after a man fled from a Kawerau property in a vehicle while an arrest warrant was being executed.

Spikes were deployed, however the vehicle continued towards Te Teko. The fleeing vehicle was spiked again and came to a stop in the township, police say.

At this point police allege the driver aimed a gun at officers, who fired at him in response.

The man then fled in another vehicle stolen from the scene and headed back towards Kawerau.

Those in the Bay of Plenty town have been advised to avoid travelling.

Officers forced the vehicle to a stop in Kawerau, however the man then fled on foot.

He was tracked to a residential property and surrendered to police around 2pm and was taken into custody.

Tui Tawera told 1 NEWS the person taken into custody is “the dog, one of the brothers”.

He described how the dramatic chase ended at a residential property.

"Police obviously chased him around, they said he shot at them, but I don’t think that’s what happened.

"Then they cornered him at a house, or so they thought but he wasn’t there. They closed off this whole road and he was in a house over there,” Mr Tawera said, pointing at a property with police outside.

"The police had guns and everything and a lot of us went live because we thought they were going to shoot him."

The man then came out and was taken into custody without further incident.

Mr Tawera believes the incident began because the man had "warrants out against him".

He described the man as "the dog, one of the brothers" saying he is "a good as fella, but if people piss him off then they will get pissed on." 

Police say an investigation into the circumstances of the incident is underway.

A critical incident investigation will also be undertaken and as police guns were fired the IPCA will be notified.

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