Queen Alexandra Hospital lockdown as 'machete'-wielding man found with camera tripod
Queen Alexandra Hospital was thrown into lockdown
Queen Alexandra Hospital was thrown into lockdown by police after reports of a machete-wielding man roaming the grounds - which turned out to be a man with a camera tripod.
Staff were alerted to the incident around 3.45pm today (Tuesday) and were told they could not leave the hospital while officers hunted for the suspicious man.
An “external threat” message was sent to staff warning the “whole (hospital) site” needed to be aware of the potential danger.
The message sent at 3.44pm said: “Man walking on hospital grounds in camouflage clothes and carrying machete. Police are aware and on way to the hospital.”
Meanwhile an eyewitness told The News there were “lots of police and security” on site with staff being told they could not leave and no one could enter the grounds. The witness said they were told there were “men or a man” with machetes on the grounds.
But police have now told The News they found the suspect - who in fact was carrying a camera tripod not a machete. A spokesperson said: “We were called at 3.07pm this afternoon after receiving a report of a man suspected to be carrying a weapon in his bag at the Queen Alexandra Hospital.
“Officers attended, spoke to the man, and established that the item was in fact a camera tripod.”