By Erin Pearson/ The Age
A high school in Melbourne’s north-east has been placed into lockdown after reports of a man in the area armed with a chainsaw.
Emergency services were called to the streets near St Helena Secondary College in Eltham after being alerted to the situation shortly after 1pm Friday.
Witnesses said the man was carrying a chainsaw along Parry Road and hitting it against a car as several parents waited to collect schoolchildren.
He then chopped branches off trees nearby.
Critical response unit trying to apprehend the man with several people also locked down in cars in the area.
A police helicopter is circling the school and there is a large police presence in the area as officers negotiate with the man.
A man is currently holed up inside a home in Eltham North after earlier wielding a chainsaw through the street. Critical Incident Response Officers are negotiating with him. At least one school is in lockdown. @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/0ChczBpu9a
— Sam Cucchiara (@SamCucchiara9) June 28, 2019
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the man is inside a nearby property.
“Police were called to Parry Road, Eltham North about 1pm this afternoon after reports that a man was in the street with a chainsaw,” they said.
“Police attended the scene and the man went to a nearby address.
“Officers are currently attempting to negotiate with the man who no longer has the chainsaw with him.”
The school was contacted for comment but referred calls to the Department of Education as it deals with the “incident”.
