22 Nov 2021

Police respond to serious incident in Hawke's Bay

6:02 pm on 22 November 2021

Police in Hawke's Bay have arrested a 32-year-old man sought following an incident in Flaxmere this morning.

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File photo. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Earlier today police responded to a serious incident that forced two schools in Hastings into lockdown.

The man was arrested in Taradale this afternoon.

He will be facing a number of charges, which police said they would confirm later.

"We understand this was a distressing incident and we'd like to thank the public for their patience while Police responded," a police said in a statement this evening.

A helicopter had assisting police in their search efforts for the man.

The incident started in Flaxmere, but had moved to the wider Napier-Hastings area.

Irongate primary school, in the suburb of Flaxmere, was locked down from 10am to 11am this morning.

Principal Maurice Rehu said the school received the all clear to return to normal about 30 minutes later.

Both schools involved are now out of lockdown.

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