Red Hill Primary was placed in lockdown on Tuesday afternoon, following reports of a man armed with a gun in the area. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Police are investigating whether reports of a gun-wielding man that sent several schools into lockdown was a hoax.
Several south Canberra schools, including Canberra Grammar, St Edmund's College, St Clare's and Red Hill Primary, went into lockdown, with reports students were told to stay away from windows. The lockdown was lifted shortly before 3pm.
ACT police said they responded to an anonymous report that a man with a gun was heading towards Manuka about 1.40pm. However, they are now investigating whether the report was a hoax.
A 25-year-old man was taken into custody on a First Instant Warrant for unrelated matters about 3pm and taken to the ACT Watch House.
It is understood the man was arrested at Red Hill flats in the area. He was not armed and there was no other suggestion he had been outside.
"No firearm was sighted," police said in a statement.
A caller who said they were from Grammar said staff and students had been locked inside and told to stay away from windows.
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Canberra Grammar School principal Dr Justin Garrick said earlier that he had no idea why the lockdown had been instituted but had followed police instructions to ensure all 1700 students and 200 staff were locked in their classrooms with the blinds drawn for the 40 minute duration.
St Edmunds’ deputy principal Peter Milligan said they had only been told that there was a “suspicious character” in the area.
In a statement to parents sent just after 3.30pm, Canberra Grammar School thanked parents for their cooperation during the lockdown.
It said “the school was advised by ACT Police to go into lockdown. The school remained in that mode until advised by ACT Police to sound the all clear”.
“We were very pleased by the way that the students and staff responded to our procedures and grateful to parents for their cooperation,” it said.
It said that it may have been an “anxious time” for students, and those with concerns were urged to contact the school.
A spokeswoman for Narrabundah College said the school did not go into lockdown and it had been not been contacted by police. St Benedicts, in Narrabundah, also did not go into lockdown, nor did St Bede's, in Red Hill, or Telopea Park School, in Barton.
Director of Education at Canberra Grammar School, Ian Hewitt, said parents would be able to be pick up their children as usual.
Mr Hewitt said there had been open communication with parents throughout the day and he was not aware of any specific grievances.
The school put its critical incident plan in operation, and no students were able to leave the school, nor were parents able to enter the school during the lockdown.
Mr Hewitt said the school had been working closely with the police.
There were reports that a very loud alarm had been ringing at Canberra Boys Grammar for around 30 minutes and that Red Hill and Griffith were overwhelmed with loud noise
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