A section of State Highway 1 will be closed for the next 24 hours after a man was shot by police.
The man allegedly drew a firearm on police just before lunchtime on Saturday around 20 minutes north of Invercargill and was shot, according to police.
He was in desperate need of surgery. At around 9 p.m., the man was in a serious but stable condition, according to authorities.
Two ambulances were dispatched to the location after police were notified of the incident at 11:50 a.m., according to a St John spokesman.
He was rushed to Southland Hospital in critical condition, she said.
Officers were looking for the man in connection with a woman who had been reported missing.
The accident occurred near Invercargill on State Highway 1.
The location, according to police,