Armed Offenders In Nawton, Hamilton

Within hours of writing about the Armed Offenders call-out in Kamo, Whangarei, this morning there was news of another armed stand-off in the town of Hamilton.

The siege has now ended but the offender escaped. Here’s what Yahoo News had to say about the incident, which may have had gang connections:

“An armed offenders squad callout in Hamilton is over after a suspected sex offender was holed up in a house in the suburb of Nawton. Police said the scene was being cleared but refused to say if the man had been apprehended or if he had fled.
The man was understood to have assaulted a woman two days ago and held her against her will. She is being treated in Waikato Hospital. Streets were cordoned off as armed police surrounded the house in Sunnyside Rd.
Police earlier believed the man, who had gang connections, may have had a firearm.”

Another report stated

Colin Kiriona, a 25-year-old Mongrel Mob member, was thought to be holed up in a Sunnyside Road property earlier this afternoon.
Members of the Armed Offenders Squad surrounded the property, using seven distraction devices, or stun grenades, before realising no one was inside the house.
A firearm was recovered at the address…
3 News understands the woman is currently in hospital for injuries sustained during the incident. She is not in critical condition, although police have said this was nearly a homicide investigation.
Police have asked members of the public to be on the lookout for Kiriona, who has a prominent tattoo of a bulldog.”

Meanwhile, staff at the Whangarei school close to this morning’s call-out have been praised for their action – read about it here

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