Reports of a man running through south end Guelph this morning carrying what looked like a gun, seemed to be misperceptions.
Guelph Police sent a total of 12 officers, including its tactical team to the area of Gordon Street between Clair Road and Arkell Road Wednesday morning after receiving at least two calls about a man running and carry what appeared to be a gun.
Around 11 a.m. Wednesday, police spokesperson Mike Gatto said that although the man has not yet been located, it is very unlikely that he was in possession of a weapon. Police scaled back the search, but continued to monitor the area in the morning.
Guelph Police is asking the man to come forward and clear up the matter.
“We checked the area and didn’t find anything,” said Gatto. “But there were lots of people who seemed to have seen someone matching that person’s description. At this point, all evidence is pointing to that he did not have a gun.”
Gatto said there is not 100 per cent certainty that there was no gun, but “the evidence is pushing pretty strong that he did not.”
He said there was enough concern on the part of those who called in the sighting that police felt it prudent to response. The man was first seen by callers near Clair Road, and was running northbound on Gordon Street towards Arkell.
“Whoever this person was, if they can give us a call and let us know what they were doing and what they were holding on to,” Gatto added. “It appears it might have been some sort of stick - some kind of object they were running with. We don’t know if they were doing some sort of a workout, or what they were doing.”
Guelph Police can be reached at 519-824-1212.
