Man and police dog shot in Northland this morning expected to survive, mayor says

December 1, 2020

The shootings took place near Dargaville this morning, police said.

A man who was shot by police after shooting a police dog in Northland is expected to survive, according to Kaipara mayor Jason Smith.

The police dog is also expected to survive. 

The dog was shot in the head after police confronted an armed man in Tangowahine, a small town around 12km northeast of Dargaville, police confirmed. 

The man who shot the dog was then shot by officers, police said. 

Smith told 1 NEWS police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. 

"It’s absolutely an awful tragedy. The important thing is no other people are being sought. No one else is involved. Everyone should have assurance and the police need to continue with their work," he said.

Smith said both the man and the police dog are in critical condition but "are both expected to pull through" as of mid-afternoon. 

Both the man and the dog were raced to Dargaville Hospital in a critical condition before being flown to Auckland in separate helicopters, a St John spokesperson told 1 NEWS.

The man was shot by police in Northland.

Police were called at around 9.17am after a "suspicious person" was reported on Tangowahine Valley Road.

Both patients were flown to Auckland in separate aircraft.

Details about the incident remain scarce and police say there is limited communication in the area.

A man and police dog are in critical condition following the shooting this morning.

A rescue helicopter was seen arriving at the Veterinary Specialist Group's emergency treatment centre in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert, with a police dog handler's car parked outside the facility.

The dog was flown to Unitec in Auckland’s Mt Albert for treatment.

More details from police are expected later today.

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