Amherst Police say they have located a person of interest after they received a call on a possible sighting of a person with a firearm.
There is no threat to the public at this time, police said.
Police posted on their Facebook page around noon that they were responding to a call in the area of Church and East Pleasant streets.
Less than an hour later residents of Amherst received a localized emergency alert regarding the police’s search for an individual.
The Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education posted to Twitter that Amherst Regional High, Spring Street, EB Chandler, and West Highlands schools were “in a Hold & Secure due to a potential ongoing police situation in Amherst.”
Amherst Regional High, Spring Street, EB Chandler, and West Highlands are now in a Hold & Secure due to a potential ongoing police situation in Amherst. All students will remain indoors & are attending classes as usual while the Hold & Secure is in effect. Further updates coming.
— CCRCE (@CCRCE_NS) October 20, 2020
That hold and secure has since been lifted.
Global News has reached out to the Amherst Police Department and will update this article with comments.