A standoff between specialist armed police officers and a lone “gunman” in Inverurie was brought to an end at 9.10pm tonight.
A man, 41, was arrested by police following the incident that centred on Crichie Circle in the Port Elphinstone.
Earlier in the day, specialist armed police officers rushed to the Aberdeenshire town following reports of a man with an offensive weapon – described by locals, as a “man with a gun” – in the area.
He is alleged to have been pointing the offensive weapon at a bus.
Elphinstone Road and into Ladeside Road and Gardens were blocked by officers for six hours.
Police entered his home at 9pm bringing the siege to an end.
A police spokeswoman said: “Officers, including specialist officers, are currently in attendance at an address in Port Elphinstone, Inverurie, following reports of a man seen in possession of a possible weapon in the Elphinstone Road area.
“Police were called to the scene at around 2.55pm on Wednesday January 25 and a 41-year-old man was arrested. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
During the day, a number of houses had been closed off, and police asked residents to stay inside their homes.
Children and adults making their way home from school and work were not being allowed access to their homes, and many stayed in a nearby community centre.
Six police vans and two cars in the area
There were six police vans, as well as two police cars in the area, with officers stationed and guarding the entrance to the estate.
There are also two NHS incident support vehicles on the scene.
Francis Matheson, who was at the Port Elphinstone Community House with her husband Kenneth and son Cameron said she was “gutted” about not being allowed home and was on the way home after her shift finished at about 3pm.”
However, when our reporter asked Cameron if he’d be off school tomorrow, he said: “I hope so.”
Another woman sheltering there said many other residents had gone to stay with family, but she had no one so was stuck in the community centre.
She said: “I don’t know where I’d go if it wasn’t for this place, I might have to sleep in the car.” The woman’s medication is in her home.
One Port Road resident said: “Police arrived really suddenly – when I collected my son from Port Elphinstone School around 3pm there was nothing obvious happening.
“Then there were lots of sirens and flashing lights a while later, it was very dramatic.”
She added: “I didn’t see anything but police appeared to be searching for someone or something.”
Another local, who had been on his way home from work, said: “People were saying a man with a gun had been pointing it at a bus. I didn’t see anything happen, but I did see police in gardens in Crichie Circle.”
Meanwhile, resident Tracy Thomson: “I can see it from my window. It is quite scary actually to see the blue flashing lights.”
Children were being stopped from leaving school
Another householder Dave Beattie said: “It is a bit of a shock, as I’ve never seen them close off the road before – and stopping the children from leaving school.
“I was a bit concerned because the kids were standing around looking a bit lost, I thought they’d be giving them a bit of support or something, instead of just letting them wander about the street for an hour.”
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