Armed police in stand off with man wielding a knife above a shop in south east London

Armed cops have locked down Lewisham High Street and surrounded a nearby HSBC after an ’emergency incident’.

There was ‘mayhem’ as the street was cordoned off with ‘tons’ of ambulance, fire and police vehicles seen on the road.

A man was seen shouting from a window above the High Street and there were reports he was brandishing a metal object.

Images on social media appear to show a man wielding a knife from a window above a row of shops.

Armed police first rushed to the scene shortly before 11 and were locked in a stand off with the shirtless man, who later donned a dressing gown.

The Met say they are now speaking to a man at the address.

Cops are trying to establish whether anyone else is inside the male’s property.

A doctor who works at Herbs & Acupuncture, a shop below the flat the man has been seen shouting from told Metro: ‘It started from 11am, The guy is crazy, he was just in his room, and he’s just shouting – he is on the fourth floor.

‘He was just shouting, shouting, shouting. There are some police, the police came with their guns, they were all dressed in black and asked if they could get up to his flat.

‘It was quite scary, I think the guy has some issues. I’m scared now, we’ve locked the door and police told us to do that.

‘It is on the fourth floor, we don’t know him. The shop is still open, but nobody can come through here, I hope that they can sort it soon, but the guy sounds crazy.

‘I saw two police officers before and the outside door, we have never chatted with him or with these guys.

‘We just hope that it is sorted out soon. Hopefully he is alright too. We don’t know anything about this guy.’

A woman who works in a shop close to Lewisham High Street told Metro: ‘Every shop that is nearby has been asked to leave and they have been closed off.

‘There is a lot of armed police, and it was a lot of drama, but it looks like it is a man who is in his flat above the acupuncture centre.

‘I’m not exactly sure what is going on.‘

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called to a disturbance on Lewisham High Street, at around 10:45hrs on Monday, 10 February.

‘Officers are currently in attendance at the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade.

‘We are speaking to a man inside an address at the location. Enquiries are ongoing to establish whether anyone else is inside the property.

‘Lewisham High Street section of the A20 remains closed while the incident is ongoing.’

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