Video: Hoax call leads to chaos as gun police swoop on Knaresborough

At the height of the drama police officers were seen stopping a man in his car at gunpoint on a street in Knaresborough yesterday as the town centre was locked down and more than 200 pupils were kept shut inside their school.

The owner of the business which was targeted by the malicious call has told his shock at his ordeal.

Razaul Karim, who owns Paragon takeaway, told the Yorkshire Post he was stopped in his car by armed police who mentioned the Terrorism Act as they searched his vehicle. (Click screen above to watch video interview.)

He said: “They told me they were looking for gunpowder explosive and a gun. I was taken to the station and searched. It was horrendous.”

The armed operation led to 250 children being locked inside King James’s School in the town and an emergency accommodation being set up for those unable to get to their homes.

Mr Karim, a father-of-four from Leeds said he was angry with both the police response and whoever was responsible for the hoax call.

A North Yorkshire Police statement last night said: “Our primary concern was to ensure the safety of members of the public and an immediate response to the incident was put in place.

“Following extensive and swift enquiries following the calls, officers established the calls were in fact malicious hoax calls. Officers have thanked the staff and

owners of Paragon Pizza – who were the target of the hoax call – for their full co-operation during this incident. The incident has caused them considerable distress.”

The spokesman added: “The Major Crime Unit is now conducting an investigation into the incident to bring the person or people responsible for the malicious communications to justice. To date no-one has been arrested.”

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: “This was a very alarming incident for members of the public and we would like to thank the communities of Knaresborough for their patience and cooperation while the police dealt with it.

“This includes the businesses who were affected by the safety cordons and the premises at the centre of the hoax.

“We treat incidents of this nature with the utmost seriousness and can assure members of the public that a full investigation is now underway to establish who is responsible.”

The High Street was closed to all traffic and local residents described the situation as “lockdown”.

Dramatic video footage, which can be seen here, emerged showing armed police swooping on two men in the street.

Mr Karim said; “I was stopped 200 yards from my work by police with guns and it was on the street where everyone could see it.

“They carried out their searches and then told me that they had been given wrong information.

“We are hard working, working class people. I do not understand who could have made this call about us.”

He said he was meeting with his solicitor today to discuss what had happened, adding that it had been distressing for his family.

Earlier in the day the operation had sparked rumours on social media that an armed man was being searched for or that an armed robbery had been carried out.

King James’s head teacher Carl Sugden told the Yorkshire Post that pupils had been kept back on police advice. He said: “It did not involve the school but we locked the school and kept the students secure, as advised by the police, and as a precaution.”