Armed police sealed off part of Shrewsbury town centre following reports of a man wielding a gun. Traffic was halted as officers closed off Abbey Foregate and the busy gyratory system around English Bridge.
Workers and shoppers said they had heard police were called out because there was a man with a gun in the area.
They had been told to stay inside wherever they were. Police said it was possible a man in a flat had a gun, but no-one else was involved.
Susan Newman was having her hair cut at Hair 21 when she saw the commotion outside.
“The police have blocked all the road off, because apparently there is a guy with a gun down by Netto,” she said.
“The police are outside at the moment and they have closed the road off outside the Abbey. The road is closed by Netto supermarket and it is closed by the bridge,
Amanda Hopkins, barmaid at the Dun Cow on Abbey Foregate, said: “They have stopped the traffic up Abbey Foregate from the Monkmoor lights.
“We think it is something at one of the houses opposite the papershop. A policeman has been in and told us to keep everyone inside.”
Up to a dozen police cars, an ambulance and a riot van were at the scene.
Michael Cartwright, a BT engineer, said that his van had been stranded inside the cordon. “I parked it there before I went into town, and now I can’t get it back,” he said.
Chris Pritchard from the Severn, at Abbey Studios said: “Abbey Foregate is closed from English Bridge to Monkmoor traffic lights.
“There are a number of armed police and it’s just swarming with officers. The area is closed off to cars and pedestrians so there are quite a lot of people standing around not knowing what to do or where to go.”
Police spokesman Richard Ewels said: “We took a call just after 1pm informing us of a man in a flat in one of the premises on Abbey Foregate, and it is possible he has a gun.
“As a precaution armed officers are at the scene and have attended with other police officers.
“We have cordoned off the area and closed the gyratory on the approach to Abbey Foregate, and closed Abbey Foregate from the north.”
He added: “We do not believe anyone else is on the premises.”
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