Source: Radio New Zealand
A cordon is in place on Ulster Street in Hamilton. Libby Kirkby-McLeod
A person has been taken to hospital in a critical condition as police swarm a Hamilton street and close off a hotel.
A motel staff member inside the cordon along Ulster Street and Abbotsford Street in the suburb of Whitiora said they heard gunshots about 10am on Wednesday.
St John said they were called to the scene just before 10am and had taken a critically injured person to Waikato Hospital.
A police spokesperson said cordons were in place while they responded to an incident but did not provide further details.
Libby Kirkby-McLeod
An RNZ reporter at the scene said police cars could be seen parked in the street and police officers are going door-to-door speaking with people.
They declined to answer questions.
A resident who wanted to go home had been told by police he was not able to at this time.
Alpha Motel manager Ford McArley, inside the cordon, said he also heard something before police arrived at the scene.
“I started drilling in the rooms to put TVs on the wall and just heard what sounded like two car tyres, and didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
“And then right outside the motel, there were police everywhere.”
McArley said police weren’t saying much about what happened.
He said it wasn’t typical of the street.
“I’ve been here just about three months now, and we’ve never had the street blocked off like this,” McArley said.
Police were expected to speak to media about what happened on Wednesday afternoon.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
