An escaped prisoner is on the run after a double shooting in the Rarotongan village of Titikaveka.
A photo released by the Cook Islands Police Service, which is looking for Chris Rimamotu of Titikaveka. Photo: Cook Islands Police Service / Facebook
The Cook Islands Police Service is looking for Chris Rimamotu, who was serving a seven-year sentence for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a small girl he abducted while she was on her way to school.
He has reportedly taken his nine-year son with him in a stolen car.
The shootings have been widely reported in the Rarotongan community as fatal but police have not confirmed the condition of the victims.
Police said Rimamotu was armed and considered very dangerous.
They were searching for him in the Vaimaanga area.
RNZ International Rarotonga correspondent Florence Syme-Buchanan said there was a sense of shock in the village, which only had about 1000 residents.