Niagara police advise some residents in Port Colborne, Ont., to shelter in place as ‘weapons incident’ ongoing

Niagara police are advising residents in an area of Port Colborne, Ont., to shelter in place.

They’ve received information about a “possible weapons incident” — east of the Welland Canal and south of Durham Street, police said in a news release Wednesday morning.

“At this time, police are asking residents in the area to remain inside and lock their doors until the suspect has been apprehended,” say police.

A number of schools in a “hold and secure,” police say. They are, Dewitt Carter Public School, Lakeshore Catholic High School, Elementary School Catholic Saint-Joseph, and St. Therese Catholic Elementary School.

A hold and secure occurs when there’s a threat in the general vicinity of a school, but not on, or very close to school property.

Parents in the area should drive their children to school or keep them home “out of an abundance of caution,” police say.

Officers with the Emergency Unit Taskforce have “contained the incident” to an address on Fares Street, north of Louis Street, and at a second address on Mitchell Street between Nickel Street and Decew Street.

The investigation is in the early stages and police say it’s too early to confirm details of the incident.