Stunned onlookers have spoken of their shock after watching armed police carry out an early morning raid at a block of Dundee flats before leading a shirtless man into a waiting vehicle.
Officers descended on Lochee Road shortly after 3am on Saturday and the route remained locked down throughout most of the early morning while police attended the scene.
Video footage obtained by The Courier appears to show a major police operation, including a number of force vehicles, a fire engine, ambulance and an emergency response unit, although a spokesman was unable to confirm the scale of the incident.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing several loud bangs and white smoke emanating from the front entrance of a block of flats at around 9am before officers wearing protective clothing and carrying firearms entered one of the properties.
Police Scotland said it was responding to reports of concern for a man’s wellbeing and that firearms were used “mostly to ensure the safety of the wider public”. It was unable to confirm whether anyone had been charged in connection with the incident.
Eyewitnesses reported fire crew members wearing breathing apparatus were also present at the scene but did not appear to enter the building at any time during the incident.
One man, who asked not to be named, said: “I was driving down towards the city centre at around 8.45am but turned around and parked outside just after 9am. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“There must have been about six or seven armed police plus a few more in high-vis jackets. There was an ambulance, a fire engine and an emergency response unit outside, as well as a few guys on foot higher up the road.
“I heard around two or three loud bangs and then smoke came out of the close, it looked like maybe it was from some kind of canister. They dragged a guy out and he was shouting ‘all this for one boy’. I have to say I agreed with him.
“It was quite a scene, certainly not the kind of thing you expect to see in Dundee at that time on a Saturday morning.”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it sent a crew to Lochee Road to assist officers at their request.
She said: “We were asked by police to attend the property at 7.17am. One vehicle attended and we left the scene at 9.14am.”
A spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed it had been responding to reports of concern for a man at the property, who has since been “traced safe and well and is in police custody”.
He added: “Armed officers were in attendance but this was mostly to ensure the safety of the wider public. The call came in to us at about 3am.”
Pressed for more details on the incident yesterday, the force said no one was available to comment further.
