Police shot and killed a person after an officer was wounded during a confrontation in the Waitomo area of western Waikato on Sunday night, and another person was taken into custody, authorities said.
Police were called to reports of a burglary when officers encountered a confrontation in the rural district, senior officials said. One officer was shot and taken to hospital in a serious condition. A second officer returned fire, killing a person at the scene. A separate individual was arrested and remains in custody.
Police remained at the scene in Waitomo into early Monday morning as investigators worked to establish the full circumstances of the incident. A police statement released shortly after the shooting confirmed the basic sequence of events but gave few operational details while inquiries continued.
The incident occurred in the same region where officers have been searching for Tom Phillips, a father who went on the run about four years ago with his three children into New Zealand wilderness. Local officials and residents have long described the area as remote and challenging for search operations.
Otorohanga Mayor Max Baxter told media he had spoken to people close to the scene and was "getting the feeling" the operation might be related to the Phillips matter after hearing "all sorts of rumours." Police have not publicly confirmed any link between the shooting and the ongoing search for Phillips.
The disappearance of Phillips and his children drew national attention when it began, prompting repeated police searches and community appeals. Investigations into that case have continued intermittently over the past four years as authorities followed leads in rugged terrain across parts of the Waikato region.
Police said they would provide further information when it became available and urged members of the public to avoid the area while forensic and investigative work continued. The identity of the person shot dead and the nature of any injuries to the hospitalized officer were not immediately released.
The New Zealand Police have a history of updating the public in stages during active operations and shootings involving officers. Media enquiries were referred to a police media unit, which said inquiries into the incident were ongoing and that further statements would be made once initial investigative steps were complete.
Local residents reported a heavy police presence on rural roads and expressed concern for the injured officer. Authorities did not disclose whether firearms were recovered at the scene or whether additional search activity would follow in the surrounding bushland.
As investigations proceed, police asked anyone with information about the incident or relevant footage to contact the local police station. Further updates were expected from law enforcement as they compiled witness accounts and forensic evidence.