A UK street was locked down on Saturday afternoon following reports of a “man with a weapon”. Armed police swarmed the road in what they described as an “ongoing incident”.
Ritson Street by Lodge Lane, Toxteth, was cordoned off with Merseyside Police in attendance. Several police vehicles were at the scene, including armed officers and police who, from what the ECHO understands, were force negotiators.
A force incident manager at Merseyside Police said police responded to an “ongoing incident”. It is currently unclear as to what the nature of the incident is, however, unconfirmed reports suggest a man had locked himself inside a house with ” a weapon”.
A police officer at the scene has reportedly made people aware that there was an “armed incident” relating to a “domestic incident”. The cordon was on Lodge Lane and stretched down to Thames Street at the other end.
A crowd of people gathered outside the cordon on Lodge Lane and residents on Ritson Street watched the from their upstairs windows and front doors.
Police negotiators have walked away from the house in question and the ECHO reports that a police officer at the scene confirmed the force were beginning to stand the scene down.
Ritson Street has reopened and almost all of the police have left the scene. One man on the road said “it was a domestic incident”.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Meanwhile, a man has suffered severe injuries after being shot twice in Huyton, Merseyside, on Friday evening.
Emergency crews rushed to Radway Road at approximately 10.20pm on November 28 after receiving reports that a man had been wounded by gunfire on the driveway of a property in the street. Police believe the victim was shot twice in the leg by two attackers riding a Surron bike.
The perpetrators fled in an unknown direction on the electric bike. Paramedics and officers responded to the scene, with the casualty being rushed to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition, reports the Liverpool Echo. Firearms officers later discovered and seized a weapon and an electric bike in the vicinity, both of which are now undergoing forensic analysis.
Police cordons remain active on Radway Road and Liverpool Road, whilst officers continue conducting door-to-door inquiries, examining CCTV footage and appealing for witnesses.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Atkinson said: “We are still in the very early stages of an investigation and are determined to find the offenders responsible.
“A young man is currently in hospital with several injuries to his leg following a violent incident in our community; therefore, I want to reassure residents living in the area that we are taking this incident extremely seriously and are relentless in our pursuit of those involved in gun crime.
“This is a residential area, and there will be people who may have witnessed the incident, and I urge those people to tell us what they know if they have not done so already.
“If you have CCTV or dashcam footage, please let us know if your systems have captured anything. Information from you is vital if we are to break down organised crime groups, and I would appeal to anyone who has information to come forward as soon as possible.”