Chronicle LiveA knife-wielding man has taken staff in a Newcastle Job Centre hostage this morning.
Police have revealed that the man is holding several of the benefit office’s employees inside the building, and the officers have it surrounded.
Specially trained negotiators are in communication with the knifeman, who, according to the Chronicle Live, is known to staff at the Job Centre.
Police at the scene of an ongoing incident in Byker.
Man believed to be holding staff hostage at Clifford Street's job centre pic.twitter.com/PBfge2p32m— BBC Newcastle (@bbcnewcastle) June 9, 2017
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said to the Sun:
Police are currently dealing with an ongoing situation in Newcastle.
Police were called to Job Centre Plus, Clifford Street in Byker at around 8am (Friday, June 9) following reports of a man causing a disturbance.
Officers have attended and found the man armed with a knife had entered the premises and it is believed that several members of staff are being held there. Several other staff members have left.
Newcastle job centre in lockdown after 'man taken hostage by knifeman'https://t.co/oF5UCzgLy7 pic.twitter.com/jaWFjxKgn2
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 9, 2017
The area is cordoned off for public safety and nearby student accommodation has been evacuated.
There are no reports of any injuries and it is being treated as an isolated incident.
Northumbria Police are appealing to anyone with information on the incident to call 101 and quote crime reference number 176.
