A man shot and killed in Waitara on Tuesday was still in the driver's seat of a stationary vehicle when he was fatally wounded.
Police say he was attempting to get out of the stolen car and had a cut-down .22 rifle aimed at its officers.
But they cannot say how many shots its officers fired or if the man used his weapon on police.
RNZ Taranaki-Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.