Police have arrested two men over a string of apparently random shootings along the Pacific Highway in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The pair, aged 26 and 32, were taken into custody on a river bank, just outside the CBD in Kempsey on the mid north coast around 3.15pm on Thursday, police said in a brief statement to the media, at the end of an active shooter police operation that lasted most of the day.
A tactical team, multiple helicopters and the dog squad were deployed during the search for the suspects.
Police are also treating the death of a man at Port Macquarie as suspicious and have said there are "strong lines of inquiry" to suggest the body found at that part of the state was connected to the shootings.
"At this stage, we're still processing all the crime scenes," Acting Commissioner Scott Tanner told reporters at Newcastle on Thursday. "We won't know until we process those crime scenes what the links are, however that is a very strong line of inquiry that they are all together."
Police were called at about 1.40am to reports of shots being fired from a dark coloured Mercedes ute at Coopernook on the arterial highway, injuring another driver who has since been treated for bullet grazes.
By 4.40am, police were being called over further shots being fired at vehicles at The Hatch, near Port Macquarie, and again at Kundabung on the highway at 5.15am. Police were also shot at as they attempted to stop the vehicle a short time later at Fernbank Creek Road, Port Macquarie.
The vehicle was found abandoned at a park on Koala Street at Port Macquarie, about 10.30am, and has since been seized for forensic investigation.
Police say the vehicle has not been reported stolen at this stage, and said the pair who were in custody Thursday night were not known to police.
Superintendent Tanner thanked the community for coming forward with information throughout the day and attributed the response to the "successful outcome".
The arrest, superintendent Tanner said, ended the police operation and there was no further concern for public safety.
Four crime scenes:
1.40am: police were called to the M1 at Coopernook following reports of shots fired at a Landcruiser from a Mercedes utility, where the driver sustained a bullet graze to his arm.
4.40am: police were then called to the M1 at The Hatch, following reports of shots fired at another vehicle. No injuries were reported to police.
5.15am: shots were also allegedly fired at another vehicle on the M1 at Kundabung. No injuries were reported to police.
Later: shots were fired at a police care near Fernbank Creek Road, Port Macquarie, with no reports of injuries.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
