Armed officers cordon off downtown area
Little information was available from Fredericton Police Force on Monday night as public was kept away from area at bottom of Smythe Street near roundabout
Members of the Fredericton Police Force directed the public away from a downtown area Monday night, and officers were seen with firearms - including long guns - drawn and at the ready.
However, the force issued no public alert indicating the nature of the situation or even that there was any kind of police operation underway in the first place.
People on social media started reporting about a significant police presence at the bottom of Smythe Street shortly before 9 p.m. Monday night, noting that the area near the roundabout with Brunswick Street and Woodstock Road was closed to the public.
Several people reported seeing “SWAT team with assault rifles” drawn, referring to the city police force’s emergency response team (ERT).
ERT members in full tactical gear could be seen in the photos circulating on social media.
Photos shared on social media showed several police vehicles in the area and officers with weapons, including the longer rifles used in more critical responses, drawn.
The Fredericton Police Force’s armoured rescue vehicle was also on the scene.
While local social-media users were abuzz about the situation and expressing concern, the police force’s Facebook and Twitter feeds were silent, making no mention of the police presence or operation.
The Fredericton Independent inquired with the police force late Monday about what was happening or had happened, but as of midnight, it had received no response.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.