A woman has been charged with kidnapping and threatening to kill following a 12-hour standoff with police in Lower Hutt this morning.
Emergency services can be seen outside the property in Lower Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Adriana Weber
Armed Offenders Squad officers surrounded a house near the intersection of Kings Crescent and High Street about 8pm yesterday.
By this morning, four police cars, two ambulances and a fire engine were outside the house and an area around it was cordoned off, after what police described as a "hostage situation".
Police used a 'flash bang' - or stun grenade - to enter the two-storey unit.
Loud bangs were heard, followed by flashes and smoke from an explosion.
The woman, 25, is also facing a charge of possession of an offensive weapon.
Both she and a 47-year-old woman, who are related, were treated for superficial injuries in Hutt Hospital.
Armed police were called to the house. Photo: RNZ / Adriana Weber
Neighbour Dean Christie woke this morning to police officers shouting and other commotion outside his window.
He saw about half a dozen police cars parked by the street, and several armed police trying to get into the unit next door.
"We saw them put the ladder in place and thought they were going make entry.
"Then stun grenade went off, then it all happened and we saw a couple of people come out."
Mr Christie said the explosives shattered the glass in the house's window.
Police had earlier said a firearm was not involved in the hostage situation and there had been no danger to the wider public.
