Armed police at the edge of a cordon on Hopper Street, Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A police cordon set up on Hopper Street in Central Wellington has been opened after an incident on Wednesday.
Wellington City Area Commander Inspector Dean Silvester said police learned there may have been a gun at the property after arriving around 10.30am with an arrest warrant.
He said officers pulled back and used a drone to clear the apartment before the armed offenders squad went inside.
Silvester said the person they were looking for wasn't there and enquiries to find them were ongoing.
Senior Sergeant Rhys Connell said the search was not related to an incident at nearby Pukehinau flats on Sunday where a man fell off a balcony after being shot at.
He said two people who were at the apartment were put in handcuffs as a precaution, but no charges have been laid, and they have since been let go.
One of them said they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it was pretty confronting having armed police bust in the door.
About a dozen police officers and half a dozen police cars attended the incident.
Cordons were also in place at the intersections of Webb and Hankey streets, police said.
Armed police have descended on Hopper Street in central Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Earlier, police were turning cars around at the cordon told a the public they couldn't let anyone through.
"It's imperative to your safety and the safety of others."
A police dog team was also at the scene.
RNZ understands police executed an arrest warrant.
An onlooker whose car is inside the cordon said officers had been there for about half an hour.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
They said there were reports of someone 'kicking off' in an apartment up the street.
A resident of a Hopper Street council housing complex said police have barred him and his neighbours from entering.
Another resident waiting outside the cordon was surprised by the number of police.
"When you see this many police, you'd think 300 people have died or something."
His neighbour Darlene, said she was feeling anxious as her kids are inside the apartment and she's stuck at the cordon. She said she popped out for 10 minutes and was unable to get back in.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
She said they're with an adult and when she called, they had no idea the police were outside.
Housing provider Te Toi Mahana - who took over management of a housing complex on Hopper Street this week - said it was aware of the incident.
"Te Toi Mahana is aware of an incident at Te Mara apartments and are supporting police with their response."
Members of the public have been asked to avoid the area.
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