Armed police in Invercargill are negotiating with a man after reports a woman jumped out a window on the town's main street.
The Transport Agency said five blocks of Dee Street had been cordoned off .
One eyewitness told RNZ the incident on the corner of Spey St and Dee St began about 8pm.
He saw police cars turn up, with officers blocking off the roads and getting customers out of shops.
He said police surrounded a building and asked everyone to get out, and after that he saw a family leave the building.
"There was a lady there also, and police requested her to jump through the window. She jumped out and the police took her to a safe place," he said.
She was crying as she left, he said.
"Now he's alone inside of the home," he said.
The eyewitness said he saw a similar incident involving armed police at the same property a couple of months ago.
