Police still investigating incident at youth justice facility

Police continue to investigate an incident at a youth justice facility in the South Island late last night.

A police spokeswoman confirmed this morning there was no new update at this stage.

Emergency services were called to what was only described as “an incident” at Te Puna Wai o Tūhinapō in Rolleston, Christchurch.

The facility is an Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children - youth justice residence that has a capacity for up to 40 young people.

A reporter at the scene last night said six police vehicles and a fire truck were outside the building and that he could hear young people “yelling out to each other from inside the facility”.

He reported seeing at least two young people pacing on the facility’s roof.

The Herald has approached police, Fire and Emergency and Oranga Tamariki for information.

Police said yesterday they had units at the facility and that they would issue a statement “when we have something to confirm”.

Just after 11pm, the youths could still be heard talking from the facility, along with the occasional bark from a police dog.