'It was really scary': Arrest after threat to shoot cops in Mosgiel

A man and a woman have been apprehended in Mosgiel after the area was flooded by police following a threat to shoot police.

Police responded to reports of a man acting "aggressively’’ at a supermarket in Gordon Rd.

A police spokeswoman said officers were called after reports "he was threatening staff.’’

She also said he had allegedly assaulted a staff member.

A Countdown spokeswoman said staff were shaken but safe.

‘‘Everyone is being offered support, including counselling.’’

A man lies on the ground as the police AOS squad examine the scene. Photo: Craig Baxter

A man who works at another Gordon Rd business earlier said police had flooded the area.

He said the man who was on the loose was laughing and saying he was armed and threatened to shoot police.

A reporter at the scene witnessed police apprehend a man near Mosgiel New World about 1pm.

The man, who was wearing a medical mask, was on the ground of Memorial Park surrounded by police before being taken into a squad car.

A woman, who was also wearing a medical mask, was also on the ground being apprehended by police before being taken into a mufti police car.

About six police cars and a dog unit were at the scene.

The reporter earlier said there was a heavy police presence in Mosgiel, including Armed Offenders Squad members and a dog unit.

Three high school pupils, all of Mosgiel, said the pair who were apprehended by police had stopped to ask them where the closest public toilets were before the arrest.

The girls mentioned to the pair that police were looking for someone who had told police they had a gun, the man then laughed and said “isn’t that funny”.

He had been acting “passive aggressive” and “dodgy” and the woman would not speak, the girls said.

“It was really scary.”

The pupils said the pair had been biking in and out of the school nearby.

The man was on a bike and the woman was on a scooter.

A 27-year-old man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and is set to appear in the Dunedin District Court tomorrow.