Police in Stockton were tonight dealing with an "ongoing incident", believed to involve a firearm, in the area of the town's Makro store.
Reports of the incident started coming in at about 6.45pm this evening.
The exact nature of the incident was unknown but eyewitnesses said a police helicopter was hovering overhead and a police officer was heard to give an order to "put the gun down and step away."
For updates see The Northern Echo website through the evening.
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