The police helicopter Eagle, along with the Special Tactics Group had joined the hunt for the car's occupants.

The central North island was in lockdown much of Wednesday as police hunted a group in connection with a shooting.

Shots were fired at police from close range after a chase that ended near Raetihi in the central North Island.

The car police chased in the early hours of Wednesday crashed on Alexandra Rd near Raetihi in the central North Island.

Annabel Dekker opened the door of her Raetihi home to find two police officers who had been shot at following a pursuit. A manhunt was then launched in and around Ohakune.

District Commander Superintendent Sue Schwalger fronted a press conference on Wednesday as police tried to track down a group of people in connection with a chase and shooting.

Armed police arrested several people in Ohakune in connection with a pursuit from Whanganui to Raetihi, which ended with police being shot at.

Armed police searched for several offenders in Ohakune on Wednesday after a pursuit from Whanganui to Raetihi ended with police being fired upon.

Dolphy Kohu has been charged with attempted murder after a massive police search across the central North Island, which started after police were allegedly shot at and had their car stolen.

Fugitive Dolphy Kohu and two others have been arrested at a police roadblock at Waiouru.



Police stopped Kohu and his cohorts about 9.20pm on Wednesday night.



The arrest happened at a police roadblock at the junction of State Highway 1 and State Highway 49 without incident. A gun was recovered from the vehicle, police said.



Kohu was the subject of a massive manhunt following an early-morning police chase and shooting on Wednesday.



The three people - Kohu plus a male and a female - were taken to Ohakune police station for questioning before departing for Whanganui late Wednesday night.



Police leave the Ohakune police station with several suspects around 11.20pm on Wednesday. Photo: Murray Wilson.



Police Superintendent Sue Schwalger, central district commander, said the arrest would be a great relief for communities in the central North Island.



"These arrests come after some great work from police staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the day to locate Mr Kohu," she said.



"I'm pleased that there was no further violence involved against police staff and that our communities will have the security of knowing Mr Kohu has been apprehended tonight.



"I would like to thank all the police staff who have been involved in today's operation, and all members of the public who have provided information or assisted us in resolving this matter so quickly.



"The operation is not concluded yet and there is still a considerable amount of work to be done to piece together the events of the last 24 hours and establish exactly what Mr Kohu and his associates have been doing in this time."



'GLAD THEY CAUGHT HIM'

A Waiouru bartender said the roadblock was at the turn-off to Ohakune.



The location of the roadblock in Waiouru where the suspects were arrested. Photo: Murray Wilson.

stuff.co.nz Police detail their search for armed offenders in central North Island.

She said she found out the armed offenders squad was at the roadblock when some customers told her about it.

She said the police had left the scene by about 10pm .



"I'm glad they caught him."

RORY O'SULLIVAN & MURRAY WILSON/Stuff.co.nz A total of six people have been arrested following an extensive manhunt in the Ohakune region.

Police have arrested a man and a woman in Ohakune after an early-morning police chase and shooting. Photo: Murray Wilson.



EARLIER ARRESTS

CARLY THOMAS & STEPH RANGI/Stuff.co.nz Raetihi School principal Nuku Wallace says the safety of his staff and students came first following news of an armed police manhunt in the region.

Earlier two women and a man were arrested in Ohakune after a manhunt that included the armed offenders squad and the police Eagle helicopter.

The manhunt was triggered after a chase in which a police car was rammed and officers shot at from close range at 3.30am Wednesday near Raetihi in the central North Island.

The chase had begun an hour earlier near Whanganui when police had tried to stop a car with a group of four or five people in it who were "acting suspiciously".



Two police officers fled to a neighbouring house after they were shot at. The police car was then stolen.



Schwalger, central district commander, said the suspects were picked up by an associate after the altercation.



After allegedly stealing the police car from officers on the outskirts of Raetihi, Kohu and his associates allegedly ditched it in Tangiwai, Schwalger said.



They then went to a house nearby where they contacted an associate who picked them up in a dark-coloured car.



WHO IS DOLPHY KOHU?



The Department of Corrections applied to the Parole Board to recall Kohu to jail on July 1 after he breached his parole.



An interim recall order was made that day, and a warrant to arrest him was also issued.



Parole officers last saw Kohu on May 21, according to the hearing's decision released on Wednesday.





Dolphy Kohu has been wanted by police for six weeks.





Stuff.co.nz Two police officers fled for their lives to a neighbouring house after they were shot at from close range on a rural road near Ohakune in the central North Island.





