A man has been detained by police following a 15-hour stand-off on a south east London high street.
Residents have been allowed to return home after Lewisham High Street was closed off amid concerns over a man seen brandishing a knife in a flat above shops on Monday.
The Met Police first responded to a disturbance at around 10.45am on Monday morning.
Police later entered an address at around 1.55am on Tuesday and a man was safely detained and taken to hospital, the force told the Standard.
Lewisham Council posted to X all cordons had been lifted by 6am on Tuesday.
6am - Lewisham Town Centre update: earlier this morning all cordons were lifted and residents are able to return home. Roads are open.
— Lewisham Council (@LewishamCouncil) February 11, 2025
Footage posted to social media showed a man leaning out of the window with what appeared to be a kitchen knife, as well as waving it around inside the flat.
The apartment was on the third floor of a building, the ground floor of which is a row of shops.
Lewisham High Street was closed for most of Monday afternoon, and armed police could be seen on standby near the scene.
The incident unfolded metres away from Lewisham police station.
The Metropolitan Police said on Monday evening there was no information to suggest there was anyone else inside the property.
We are aware of social media reports about an incident in Lewisham High Street. Officers are currently in attendance at a residential address at the location speaking to a man inside the property.
— Lewisham MPS (@MPSLewisham) February 10, 2025
Video emerged overnight on social media that appeared to show police detaining someone inside a property.
A food retailer at Lewisham Market said the stand-off had been going on since late morning.
“It’s a waiting game,” she said at the time.
“He’s hiding himself around the corner because he knows they’re pointing guns at him,” the woman, who did not want to be named said. “At first nobody knew what was going on.
“They keep moving the police cordon back,” she added.
A branch of HSBC opposite closed as a precaution, and the bank said no customers or staff were involved.
A spokesman for the Met said: “Police were called to a disturbance on Lewisham High Street, at around 10.45am on Monday.
“Officers are currently in attendance at the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade.
“We are speaking to a man inside a residential address at the location.
“There is no information available at this time to suggest there is anyone else inside the property.”
