Eleanor Campbell
Updated ,first published
A man has been arrested by police after he was reportedly seen with a weapon near Footscray High School’s Barkly campus, sending the school into a lockdown.
Police tasered and arrested the 44-year-old man inside a nearby abandoned building about 3.35pm after an hour-long stand-off on Barkly Street.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said officers located edged weapons and imitation firearms at the scene.
“He was taken to hospital for assessment under police guard,” a statement said.
Parents were advised the junior school had been placed into lockdown in an email sent by school principal Jillian English on Friday afternoon.
“This afternoon we were informed by the Victorian Police of an incident occurring in a home in the vicinity of the Barkly campus of the school,” the email, seen by The Age, said.
“The police advised to place the school into lockdown as a precaution. All students and staff are safe.
“Victoria Police have advised the incident is ongoing for now and as a result students cannot leave at the end of the school day at this stage.”
An Education Department spokesperson confirmed all students and staff are safe.
Barkly Street has reopened after it was blocked off in both directions between French Street and Victoria Street.
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