Police Lock Down Parts of Welland After Downtown Shooting
A tense and frightening situation unfolded in Welland after reports of a shooting prompted a major police response in the city’s downtown area. The incident happened near Second Street, around the intersection of Plymouth Road, Lincoln Street, and nearby blocks, leading to a heavy presence from the Niagara Regional Police Service. Officers were quickly dispatched, and the area was secured as the situation continued to develop.
Residents were urged to shelter in place while police worked to make the scene safe. People living and working nearby were asked to lock their doors and windows and remain indoors until further notice. A large perimeter was set up, stretching roughly from Lincoln Street to the north, King Street to the west, Third Street to the south, and Coventry Road to the east. Members of the public were also told to avoid the area entirely.
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As a precaution, several schools and the Welland County General Hospital were placed into lockdown. This caused major disruptions, especially with the incident occurring early in the morning, just before 8 a.m., as children were heading to school on what should have been their final day before the Christmas break. School buses were rerouted, and students from St. Mary’s Catholic School were taken to another location, where they waited safely until parents could pick them up. Staff members already inside the school were unable to leave while the lockdown remained in effect. Another nearby school, Plymouth Public School, was also affected, and parents were asked to keep their children at home.
During the response, one police officer was shot while attending the call. The officer was transported to hospital as a precaution, and injuries were later described as non-life-threatening. Police indicated that a suspect connected to the shooting was contained within a building in the area, though details remained limited as the situation was actively being handled.
This incident came just days after another deadly police-involved shooting in Welland, making it the second time in a week that officers were injured by gunfire in the city. In that earlier case, a man wanted on a warrant was killed during a shootout with police, and Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit was called in. The SIU has also been notified about the latest shooting, as is standard procedure whenever police discharge their weapons.
For residents, the events have been deeply unsettling. What began as a routine morning quickly turned into a citywide alert, with families, students, and hospital staff caught in the middle. Police have said more updates will be shared as information becomes available, while the community waits for a safe and peaceful resolution.
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