The man at the centre of the Palmerston North siege has been named by his father as Caleb Kovaleski.

Police would not confirm the armed man's identity while the situation was still unfolding.

SEE ALSO: AOS hunt man who fled Police 

Jim Antcliff, the "whangai" adoptive father of the armed man, told the Herald he been in contact with Kovaleski up until this afternoon.

Mr Antcliff had raised Kovaleski, 26, since he was 15.

"I got a phone call this morning from his sister saying Caleb needed help again."

He said he rang Kovaleski, who told him he was surrounded by police.

"I was down there straight away, he would have come straight out if police let me in."

Police told Mr Antcliff they needed to follow procedures and kept him behind the cordoned area.

Kovaleski had been ringing his son all day, telling him to come out up until about 4.30pm, when he stopped answering his phone.

"The first call he was in a bad state of mind. The second he was laughing. He's in a bad state now though."

Kovaleski had made demands to police for "a six pack and a pizza", according to his father. 

He said police didn't know where his son was now.

"It could have been solved hours ago, he'll go all night."

Mr Antcliff said Kovaleski would be thinking "it's either me or the police".

He added that his son was a "good lad, he had a hard upbringing and not necessarily a good start to life".

Mr Antcliff said his behaviour today was "probably something to do with his girlfriend".

Schools and a kindergarten were put in lock down as police searched for the armed man.

Loud bangs were heard in Palmerston North this afternoon when armed police stormed a house as they searched for the fleeing offender.

A police spokewoman confirmed that all children from Cloverlea Primary School and Cloverlea Kindergarten had been safely evacuated by bus.

Parents were advised to collect their children from Highbury Whanau Centre on Highbury Rd.

An NZME journalist reported that police called parents into the centre hall about 6pm.

Police said they were "doing their best to resolve the incident, but it's not clear when that will be".

Parents were told arranging alternative sleeping arrangements wouldn't be a bad idea.

"It could be a long night."

Police were searching houses on Geraldine Cres.

They were also ringing each house to ask how many people were inside and if there were any animals, according to a resident on the street.

Residents had become frustrated. More than 100 people were standing in the carpark of Cloverlea Tavern, but police were letting no one enter the cordoned area.

"You can get out but you can't get in," the NZME journalist reported.

Earlier this afternoon Cloverlea School, Cloverlea Kindergarten and Somerset Crescent School were in lockdown.

At around 4.50pm children at Cloverlea School and Cloverlea Kindergarten were loaded onto two white coaches driven by police.

The wanted man evaded police during a high speed pursuit this morning.

The police spokeswoman said the pursuit started at 10.45am after an attempt was made to stop a car.

The driver, who was known to police and had warrants for his arrest, fled the scene in a grey Mazda.

A cordon had be put in place in Peters Ave and spikes had been laid on the road.

A special tactical unit van had been parked outside Cloverlea dairy and police were speaking to members of the public.

There were visible skid marks outside the dairy where a car had mounted the curb