Police say a new weapons policy saved the life of a woman during an attack in Porirua.
A 47-year-old man was shot and tasered by two officers during the incident on Thursday morning.
Police said the officers arrived at the house at Penguin Grove about 5.30am to find a distressed 49-year-old woman with a large cut to her arm.
Hearing a commotion in another room, they forcibly entered it to find the man on top of his 38-year-old partner and threatening her with a knife.
The officers then shot at the man - one using a pistol, the other a taser.
He is in a stable condition in Wellington Hospital after surgery. The women were treated for knife wounds and both are in a stable condition.
Kapiti-Mana area commander Paul Basham told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme the new policy, which allows better access to weapons, enabled the officers to act quickly and decisively.
Mr Basham said the decision to shoot the man was made instantly and the weapons were fired at the same time.
"The fact that the officers were able to have the tools that they needed to do the job and to save the life that they did and to protect themselves to some extent validates the policy."
Mr Basham said the confrontation shows the Police Commissioner is right about having firearms and tasers more readily to hand in police cars.
An inquiry headed by an independent investigator from outside the area has begun. The Independent Police Conduct Authority is also investigating.
Police speak to media at the scene on Thursday. Photo: RNZ
