Police have offered to help mediate between the gangs currently embroiled in tension. Photo:
Seven arrests have been made in Levin since police put a gang conflict warrant in place, but those responsible for a spate of shootings are still at large.
A district commander said police offered to sit down and help mediate between the gangs embroiled in tension, but the offer has not yet been taken up.
A gang conflict warrant has been in place for a week, and there's been five shootings and one report of gunfire.
Two people have been seriously injured by gunshot wounds in separate incidents, and two houses and and a shed had also been shot at in three other separate incidents.
Central District commander Superintendent Dion Bennett said police had so far seized seven guns and six knives.
Central Districts Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett. (File photo) Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
He said the seven arrests were related to possession of firearms.
"Our investigation team is still working hard to identify who's responsible for the driveby shootings and also for shootings of other people."
Bennett said both the Nomads and Mongrel Mob was the focus of the operation, involving both internal and external conflict.
He said police was in constant contact with the gangs, either through stopping them on the streets or meeting with them, and had offered to sit down and talk with them.
"We are encouraging them to bring this tension to an end, the tools available to us, such as mediation and facilitation is on offer to them, and they know this."
Police have flooded the town following the violence, with extra officers being brought in from nearby districts. The gang conflict warrant is in place for Ōtaki, Shannon, Foxton and Levin.
Bennett did not confirm the exact numbers of extra officers, or when the gang conflict warrant would end.
"Our increased presence in Levin will remain in place until we are satisfied the tensions both within the Nomads and the Mongrel Mob have eased."
Bennett said there had not been any major reports of shootings for the past two days, which could be an indication that tensions were easing.
But he said he was concerned gang members were driving through the community carrying guns, and committing driveby shootings.
"It concerns me anytime there are shootings, let alone shootings by gangs. Levin is a wonderful community and this shouldn't reflect on the people who live there at all.
"It concerns me that gang members are driving through our communities carrying guns, and I'm pleased with the number of guns that we have found and seized since the introduction of the gang conflict warrant"
The shootings started on the morning of August 18, after a man turned up to a healthcare centre with a gunshot wound to his thigh.
He was taken to Palmerston North hospital in a serious condition.
Police confirmed this person had since left hospital.
That night, police were called after a drive-by house shooting on Hinemoa St.
No occupants of the house were injured but they and their neighbours were shaken by the shooting.
Early the following day, five shots were heard on Mabel St. Police later found it was a shed that had been shot at.
The next day, a person was found at midday on Bartholomew Rd with serious injuries from a gunshot wound. He was taken to hospital and since been discharged.
Another house, this time on Vincent Drive, was fired at during the early hours of Saturday morning.
And on Tuesday afternoon, police arrested a man after reports of gun being fired from a house on Mabel St.
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