A man wandering around the graves of East Taieri Cemetery with a firearm sent a neighbouring school and preschool into lockdown and struck fear into residents.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said multiple calls were made to police about 1.20pm today, and staff at East Taieri Primary School and East Taieri Preschool across the road put all the pupils into lockdown until the all-clear was given.
Snr Sgt Bond said officers arrived a short time later and apprehended a 72-year-old man with an air rifle at the cemetery.
‘‘He had recently purchased it and he decided to go out to the cemetery to have a play around with it.
‘‘Obviously, he didn’t realise the implications of doing that – walking around in a public area with what looks like a firearm.’’
Snr Sgt Bond said officers searched the man’s car and his house and found no other firearms.
He said the man was not arrested or charged. Instead, he was spoken to and given education about firearms use.
The school and the preschool were notified as soon as the situation was clarified.
The incident struck fear into many residents in the area at the time, Snr Sgt Bond said.
‘‘We’ve had a couple of 111 calls from it, so yes, it did cause fear in the community.
‘‘But I think it was an honest mistake by a man who was not thinking of the wider consequences.”
Fortunately, no-one was hurt during the incident, he said.