Man cautioned for carrying an air weapon in public after incident in Malton

The man was arrested on suspicion of carrying an air weapon in public, on Friday, March 31, the day after the incident, which saw local schools placed into lockdown as a precautionary measure.

The man surrendered the weapon into police custody and has been issued with a police caution for carrying an air weapon in public.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “We are satisfied that he did not intend to cause any alarm to any members of the public.

“To reiterate, on the day of the incident, following a thorough search of the area and further investigation, we were satisfied that there was no heightened threat to the public or schools in the area.

“A number of our officers remained outside local schools to provide reassurance and engage with worried parents and students.

“Once again we thank the schools who reported their concerns for their quick-thinking to protect their pupils and staff from potential harm.”

Neighbourhood Sergeant Paul Gibson-Hodges, said on Thursday (March 30): “We completely understand the worry and panic this incident has caused, nothing upsets us more than thinking children are at risk and we now know this is not the case.

“A man was seen with a weapon, possibly an encased shotgun, by a member of the public near a school in the town.

"Further investigation has suggested the man left the area and headed towards a rural location away from people and property.

“At no point has the man spoken to anyone or made any suggestion anyone was at risk.

“The schools should be praised for their quick-thinking to protect their pupils and staff from potential harm.

"However, we do ask that members of the public refrain from speculating about this incident as this is likely to cause more distress to the children in the area.

“If you are a parent of a child in one of the affected schools you may want to talk to your child about this incident.

"There are lots of websites with excellent information on how to approach difficult subjects, including CBeebies and the NSPCC.”