A man in his 40s has been detained under the Mental Health Act following an incident at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on Friday 2nd February which saw armed police deployed.
Armed police at the RUH on Friday 2nd February | Photo © Bath Echo
Staff at the hospital contacted Avon & Somerset Police at around 9.45am after receiving a telephone call from an unknown male who made verbal threats.
A police presence was already at the hospital for an unrelated matter, which liaised with security teams at the Combe Park site.
A second call making threats was then received at about 10.15am and further officers were also dispatched to attend the scene, including firearms officers, and a police helicopter.
Police also received a report of a man carrying an item, which there were concerns could have been a bladed weapon, in the vicinity of the hospital at approximately 10.35am.
The hospital decided to go into lockdown and police advised a nearby school to take a similar precautionary measure.
Both lockdowns were lifted in the early afternoon.
A man in his 40s was arrested that afternoon on suspicion of making threatening communications, and he has since been detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Police later confirmed that following the report of the man carrying the unknown item, they were “satisfied that it was not a bladed weapon but that the report to police was made with good faith.”
