Police officers have closed off Paradise Square, near the Westgate centre, after a reported firearms incident.
Police officers have cordoned off the street and ambulances are on the scene.
Residents have been evacuated from the street and guests at the Malmaison hotel were apparently told to remain in their room.
Police earlier warned people to stay away from the street.
Due to an ongoing Police incident in paradise square, oxford, please avoid the area. PS 3833 Astley
— TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) May 7, 2018
Local pubgoers said that they heard the shots at about 2.30pm. They said that there were a couple of shots which had followed earlier shots on the scene.
There is no suggestion of this being a terror-related incident.
Ambulance crew bringing through a stretcher now at Oxford shooting scene pic.twitter.com/uGKpME3NLW
— Fred Dimbleby (@freddimbleby) May 7, 2018
A local resident told Cherwell: “I woke up at 12:30 and there was a lot of shouting and dogs were fighting outside. I came outside and there were police cars everywhere, some marked and some unmarked, one up round the castle and round the road here.”
An officer confirmed to Cherwell that an operation is in progress.
Armed response officers are at a residential property in Paradise Square following a report shortly after 1.15pm today that a man had access to a firearm.
Shots were fired from the property and police returned fire.
Officers are currently negotiating with a man.
— TVP Oxford (@TVP_Oxford) May 7, 2018
A shot incident. Somebody was saying it was a hostage situation.
Police were apparently negotiating with a suspect after shots were fired at 1.15pm.
The Oxford Tube and Stagecoach said buses are not stopping on Castle Street.
This is a breaking news story – updates will follow
