Dozens of armed police stormed a busy tourist area after an umbrella was mistaken for a rifle.
Alarm bells were raised when a hooded man began pointing what appeared to be a black firearm at passersby on Marine Parade in Queenstown, New Zealand, on Wednesday.
A shocked bystander called triple-zero, prompting a massive police response.
Nearby Queenstown Gardens has been closed following reports that a gunman was heading towards the area.
Marine Parade was also cordoned off and people were ordered to leave the area.
It wasn’t until police reviewed CCTV footage that they realised the man’s “weapon” was actually an umbrella.
New Zealand Police Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson said the man was carrying the umbrella pretending to be a rifle, cocking the object and pointing it at onlookers.
“A fairly significant response was required to keep the public safe and locate him,” Sgt Wilkinson said. Stuff.
Police reviewed CCTV footage and eventually realised that the man (pictured) was not carrying a firearm.
“It certainly looked like a problem: the way he was carrying it, the length, the color and the shape of the object.”
“We couldn’t rule out that it wasn’t a firearm.”
Sgt Wilkinson said police are still looking for the man and would like to speak to him about his behaviour.
He said his actions could potentially be considered a crime.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted New Zealand police for further comment.
Marine Parade in Queenstown, New Zealand (file image) was cordoned off and people ordered to leave the area.
Marine Parade is a popular tourist destination overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
The area is famous for its panoramic views and beaches that are frequented by visitors during the summer.
New Zealand has banned the use of semi-automatic weapons and sweeping legislation was introduced in Parliament in April 2019.
The change came after gunman Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 worshippers inside two mosques in Christchurch less than a month earlier.
The law banned several weapons, including assault rifles and semi-automatic pistols.
Anyone caught using or storing these weapons could be jailed for five years.