By Laura Chung, Matt Bungard and Mary Ward
An armed man was shot during a confrontation with police on the Central Coast on Wednesday morning, with a nearby school going into lockdown for several hours.
Local police officers spotted the man, who is known to authorities, just before 10.30am.
When police attempted to stop a Mitsubishi Lancer, a pursuit ensued. A short time later, the car rammed a police vehicle on Tuggerah Parade at The Entrance, before driving off.
An armed man was shot by police during a confrontation on the Central Coast on Wednesday morning.Credit: Nine @SkaieHull
The pursuit ended when officers saw the Lancer elsewhere on the same street and observed the man and a woman run from the vehicle.
Police said the 30-year-old man was in possession of both a handgun and a long-arm firearm.
Following a pursuit, shots were fired, leaving the man with wounds to his neck.
A 30-year-old man is taken to hospital on a stretcher after he was shot in a confrontation with police at The Entrance.Credit: Nine News
The man treated by paramedics before being airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
Northern Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell said police had reviewed bodycam footage worn by the officers - but that it wasn't yet known which shot had caused the injury.
"At a point in time, when challenged, there were two gunshots," Commissioner Mitchell said.
"Who fired what shot, that all needs to be investigated thoroughly and from a forensics point of view, that will be determined in due course," he said.
During the pursuit, police had maintained "good communication at all times" with the man, Commissioner Mitchell said.
The two firearms were seized for forensic and ballistic examination.
A short time later, the 43-year-old woman was arrested.
Officers are not seeking anyone else.
Witness Loretta Nelson had just left the Food Hub, a local food initiative near the Entrance Public School, when she saw police "everywhere."
She heard police speaking over a loudspeaker, pleading with the man to "put the gun down, put the gun down" and saying "no one wants to get hurt."
Then she heard one of the gunshots.
"It was quite frightening," she said.
The school went into lockdown for about two hours, principal David Stitt said in an update to parents via Facebook, which has since been deleted.
"Two hours can be a long time for some of our little people, and we were advised that some of them had to use buckets as toilets in storerooms," he said.
"There was no danger to anyone within the school and the reason we went into lockdown was for the absolute safety of our children."
A critical incident team from Lake Macquarie Police District will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, which will also be subject to independent review.