Police have lifted a cordon on Hopper Street in central Wellington following a major response to reports of a possible firearm.
Senior Sergeant Rhys Conner said officers were searching for a person believed to be at a property but found no one inside and no weapon.
The incident, which drew about a dozen officers and several patrol cars, was unrelated to a nearby shooting at Pukehinau flats earlier in the week.
Two people were briefly detained as a precaution and later released without charges. Witnesses reported significant police presence, including dog units, and residents were temporarily barred from entering their homes.
Housing provider Te Toi Mahana confirmed it was assisting police during the operation.