Police have revealed they were forced to used tear gas to arrest a man armed with a crossbow in Taranaki.
Officers spent hours trying to negotiate with the man at a property in the small township of Okato last night.
They were called to a house in the town about 4pm, after reports a man had fired a crossbow during a family dispute.
Taranaki Area Commander Inspector Keith Borrell said when officers arrived, they tried to get the man to come outside.
"The man refused to comply and made verbal threats to the officers," he said.
The Armed Offenders Squad was then called in and the other people in the house were able to get out safely.
"Police continued to communicate and negotiate with the man for several hours, attempting to convince him to leave the house on his own accord."
But at 2am they used CS gas, or tear gas, to enter the home and take him into custody, Mr Borrell said.
He was taken to hospital to be assessed, but had no injuries related to the incident.
The 39-year-old is facing one charge of assault with a weapon and one of threatening to kill.
He will appear in the New Plymouth District Court tomorrow.
No one else was injured in the ordeal.
