UPDATED 2.00pm: Large parts of the Central Plateau are in lockdown, as a major police incident plays out.

MORE: Police arrest woman in relation to Dolphy Kohu search

Police are asking people in Ohakune, Waiouru and Raetihi to stay indoors while the incident plays out.

There's a search underway to find offenders police say are dangerous and shouldn't be approached.

The Police Eagle helicopter has been deployed and Police checkpoints have been set up across the central North Island.

The incident started around 2.30am when police chase of a car ensued in Whanganui.

An hour later a patrol car was rammed and one of the occupants of the vehicle fired shots at close range, the officers are shaken but unhurt.

It's thought three men and two women are involved. They left in a stolen police car.

That Police car has since been recovered.

The Armed Offenders Squad has been deployed in the central North Island and Eagle helicopter deployed from its Auckland base to assist in the search.

Police cordons are up.

Ruapehu College in Ohakune is being put into lockdown.

Primary schools in the area are calling parents, to tell them to keep their children at home this morning.

They've also named a man they're looking for in relation to the incident, Dolphy Kohu.

Police are warning he is dangerous and should not be approached.

Central District Commander Superintendent Sue Schwalger reports they don't know who else is involved, or where they might be going.

"The first challenge is that we don't know where these offenders are. We do know who one of our suspects is and so we are focusing a lot around that particular person."

Superintendent Schwalger says they believe the group is focusing on evading police.

There is no indication that they will actually go to a school so we're looking at the best way to be vigilant, and sometimes the early information is to be super vigilant right at the very beginning."

Dolphy was sent to prison in 2008 for the aggravated robbery of a Whanganui dairy, and again in 2013 for firing a shotgun at a Whanganui family.

Raetihi resident Jenny Dekker said her daughter opened the door for two policemen at around 3.30 this morning.

"They were very stressed and bleeding and injured. They said sorry to bother you but we've just been shot at and do you mind if we use your phone ... "We realised that it was a crime unfolding probably right on our back doorstep."

Ms Dekker said the prime suspect, Dolphy Kohu, is known to locals for his criminal past.

"We've been told he's a local boy from Ohakune and quite a troubled young man who's from this area."

Ruapehu District Council spokesperson Paul Wheatcroft reports the council has been briefed on the situation and the council's Raetihi office is closed until further notice.

"We understand this is a result of an incident that started in Whanganui in the early hours of this morning. The offender trail indicates that they may have got as far as Ohankune," Wheatcroft reports.

"We have staff at our Ohakune office and an i-site in Ohakune. They are at work but they've been advised just as a precaution to keep their doors locked until further notice."

His crimes include aggravated robbery of a Whanganui dairy and the firing of a shotgun at a Whanganui family.

Kohu's parole report mentions his pregnant partner, whom he needs to support.