“Armed police” called for “stop” while the street was cordoned off

A residential street was cordoned off today as armed police were called to deal with an incident at a block of flats.

Neighbors reported seeing a “massive” police presence on Wordsworth Street in Bootle just after 12.30pm this afternoon, June 7. Police efforts were concentrated on a top-floor flat in the block halfway up Wordsworth Street. According to witnesses, the street was cordoned off as the incident unfolded.

Speaking to the ECHO, a neighbor said he saw “about nine police vehicles” in the street, “then later they arrived”. He said there were “a lot of people outside watching what was going on”.

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Another neighbor said it all started earlier that day when a “male-female match” took place in one of the flats. She said “the whole street could hear her.” Her neighbor said he heard a window break.

The witness continued: “The next thing I knew, the guy was waving a knife at the apartment window. Then a bunch of police showed up. There were armed police and police with dogs. Then a negotiator came.”

According to the neighbor, the block, which houses a number of elderly people, was partially evacuated during the standoff.

She told the ECHO: “The guy was throwing things out the window. People were told to stay away in case it hit them. Police bombarded the street from both directions. Then the man was dragged out and taken away.”

The woman did not seem surprised by the incident. She said: “I moved here 10 years ago and it’s always been the same. I don’t feel safe walking down the street here as a woman. There is so much anti-social behavior on this street. You see it all the time. . The old people are terrified.”

Merseyside Police have been contacted for comment.

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