RESIDENTS have reportedly been warned to ‘stay indoors’ as major armed police units swarm a housing estate in Leeds.
Dozens of armed officers and armoured vehicles are at the chaotic scene in Stanningley, after a man was seen with a ‘handgun’.
A major police presence swarmed the area after a man was seen with a ‘handgun’[/caption]
Specialist firearms officers and trained negotiators are at the scene[/caption]
It is understood the alarm was raised at around 12.30pm at a property in the Half Mile Green area.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they responded to a domestic-related incident.
The force stated their “operation is currently ongoing”.
A man was seen with what appeared to be a handgun which led cops to withdraw from the building.
Specialist firearms officers and trained negotiators are at the scene to reach a “safe conclusion”.
Armoured vehicles are now stationed in a street which has been cordoned off.
Photographs of the house revealed a man leaning outside an upstairs window.
He is the only person within the property.
Yorkshire Ambulance services are also present.
Cop's full statement
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “A police operation is currently ongoing at an address in Half Mile Green, Stanningley.
“At 12.36pm today, officers were called to a domestic-related incident at the property but withdrew on seeing a male at the address in possession of what appeared to be a handgun.
“A cordon is currently in place and various emergency service resources, including police negotiators, are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
“The male is the only person in the address and there is no risk to the wider community.”
Terrified locals have reportedly been warned by West Yorkshire Police to stay indoors.
One resident who lives nearby told Leeds Live: “They’ve just said it’s an incident they won’t say anything else.”
Another added: “I’ve never seen anything like this before.
“There’s quite a lot of police here. I was just in Tesco – this is my road to go home and I was like ‘what’s going on.”
“What’s all this? It’s never like this it’s usually so quiet,” said someone else.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “A police operation is currently ongoing at an address in Half Mile Green, Stanningley.
“At 12.36pm today, officers were called to a domestic-related incident at the property but withdrew on seeing a male at the address in possession of what appeared to be a handgun.
“A cordon is currently in place and various emergency service resources, including police negotiators, are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
“The male is the only person in the address and there is no risk to the wider community.”
A man was seen with what appeared to be a handgun which led cops to withdraw from the building[/caption]
Source
