Shots fired in street fight

Police converged on an Onerahi home after two shots were fired through a wooden fence and hit a neighbouring house during a fight yesterday.

Neighbours were shocked to see police officers scouring their normally quiet street and were concerned a firearm had been discharged while children were playing in the street after school.

Police were still interviewing residents in Ross St late yesterday and were unable to confirm if it was gang-related.

A man who was involved in the fight and originally ran off had returned and was spoken to by detectives but no arrests had been made.

The drama began about 4.20pm when police were alerted to the gunshots.

Whangarei police Detective Sergeant John Miller said the shots were fired in the driveway during an altercation between two people.

It was thought a shotgun was used and both rounds had gone through a brown wooden fence and struck the house next door.

Mr Miller said no one was injured.

Two men left the property in a dark-coloured car while a third man ran off.

The house was cordoned off as officers examined the damage to the fence.

Officers in the Onerahi area stopped a vehicle they thought may have been involved on old Onerahi Rd but no arrests were made.

A neighbour said she had been on the phone when out of the corner of her eye, she saw two men fighting, while a third man stood nearby.

"One of them looked pretty angry. They were pushing each other and were really arguing. Then there was a bang but I don't know where it came from but it got my attention," she said.

A second shot was fired about five minutes later.

"The next thing there were police here and plenty of them."

Another neighbour said it was her cats that reacted to the first loud bang by scuttling across the wooden floor and through the catflap.

"I was working in the office and I heard one shot. I thought it was a bit more than a fire cracker.

"The guy from the house ran off and then he came back and got the dog. The others drove down the road like they were following him and then drove back towards Whangarei."

She was left shaken and called her husband to come home.

"It's normally a quiet street. The kids were playing in the street after school and it's lucky they weren't hit by the shots."

Police said anyone who could help with their investigation could call anonymously on 0800 Crimestoppers or 0800 555 111.