A 24-year-old is in hospital after being shot by police in a residential part of South Shields.
Armed officers were sent to Frenchman's Way shortly after 1am following reports a man had been seen with a handgun.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "The 24-year-old man has been taken to hospital with a single gunshot wound and is currently receiving treatment."
A local resident, who did not give his name, told the Press Association that his girlfriend heard police shout: "Put the gun down."
He said: "I came out and there were police with guns walking up and down in body armour, like they were securing the area.
"I thought they were looking for a gunman.
"Police were working on the man for about 10 minutes, giving him oxygen. Then they let the ambulance in and after about five minutes they took him to hospital."
The man said he thought he knew the gunman's identity.
"He is a respectful kid, he puts his head down when he walks past you," he said. "He is a decent enough bloke."
He added that he did not think the man with the gun was a gangster.
"I was thinking: 'Who is daft enough to wave a gun around here? And the man is not that type of person," he said.
"If someone said 'Boo' to him, he would run as fast as he could. Maybe he was full of drink - it will all come out in the end.
"I hope he is all right."
The shooting has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
"This is a matter of course in any incident resulting in serious injury following police contact," the police spokesman said.
A section of Frenchman's Way was cordoned off while inquiries took place.
Investigators placed around eight yellow markers on the road indicating where evidence has been left.
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