New Zealand Police storm Queenstown Gardens after a man was spotted appearing to be armed with a rifle
Dozens of armed police officers stormed a busy tourist attraction after an umbrella was mistaken for a gun.
Alarm was raised after a hooded man pointed an object that appeared to be a black firearm at passers-by at Marine Parade in Queenstown, New Zealand, on Wednesday.
A shocked bystander called ‘triple-0’, after which the police arrived en masse.
Nearby Queenstown Gardens was closed after reports the armed man was heading towards the area.
Marine Parade was also cordoned off and people were ordered to leave the area.
It was only when police reviewed the CCTV footage that they discovered the man’s ‘weapon’ was actually an umbrella.
According to New Zealand Police Chief Constable Glenn Wilkinson, the man carried the umbrella while pretending to hold a gun, cocking the object and pointing it at bystanders.
βIt took a significant response to keep the public safe and locate him,β Sgt Wilkinson said Stuff.
Police reviewed the camera footage and eventually found that the man (in the photo) was not carrying a firearm
βIt certainly seemed like a problem: the way he was wearing it, the length, color and shape of the object.β
“We couldn’t rule out that it wasn’t a firearm.”
Sergeant Wilkinson said police are still looking for the man and would like to speak to him about his behaviour.
He said his actions could possibly be considered a crime.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted New Zealand police for further comment.
Marine Parade in Queenstown, New Zealand (stock photo) was cordoned off and people were ordered to leave the area
Marine Parade is a popular tourist destination overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
The area is known for its beautiful views and beaches, which are heavily visited by tourists in summer.
New Zealand banned the use of semi-automatic weapons and in April 2019, far-reaching legislation was introduced into Parliament.
The change came after gunman Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch less than a month earlier.
The law banned several weapons, including assault rifles and semi-automatic rifles.
Anyone caught using or storing these weapons could face up to five years behind bars.