Footscray High School's Barkly Street campus in Melbourne was placed on lockdown Friday afternoon as police negotiated with a man inside an abandoned property near the school. The incident began around 2:15 p.m. when officers were alerted to a man reportedly in possession of a weapon inside a vacant building on Barkly Street.
As a precautionary measure, the school principal, Jillian English, informed parents via email that the campus was locked down. "The police advised to place the school into lockdown as a precaution. All students and staff are safe," the email stated. Students were unable to leave at the end of the school day while the situation was ongoing.
Police engaged in negotiations with the man for approximately 90 minutes. The standoff concluded around 3:45 p.m. when the man was tasered and subsequently arrested. He was taken to a hospital for assessment under police guard.
Authorities reported that edged weapons and imitation firearms were discovered at the scene following the arrest. The police have not released further details regarding the man's identity or his motives.