POLICE have cordoned off a Sheffield street after a local man began hurling objects from his window and targeting passers-by.
The man, described by locals as ‘a bit strange,’ began pouring boiling water from the window of his first-floor flat, above Rhythm and Booze on Brooklands Avenue, just after 10am today.
Shortly after, he started to throw crockery and could be heard shouting obscenties from behind a poster in his window reading: ‘Liberal Democrats winning here.’
“The police have been trying to negotiate with him for hours,” said David Curzon, manager of the nearby GT News.
“I know the guy, he’s a customer and he’s been shouting and screaming at his window all day, though I’m not sure what about.
“We think it’s a mental health problem.
“Luckily nobody has been hurt as far as we can tell and I think the police are just waiting for him to calm down.”
A nearby resident told The Star: “There’s such a lot of activity; police vans and cars and so many officers everywhere.
“I can’t believe how long this has been going on and we’ve no idea what triggered this or what he wants, the police seem to be stuck in a waiting game with him.”
Another resident added: “We’ve heard he’s not well, there have been whispers that he’s paranoid and has had some sort of break.”
A spokesman for South Yorkshire police thanked local residents for their patience as officers at the scene work to resolve the situation.
A statement from the police said: “We got reports of a 47-year-old man pouring water from a flat above an off-licence at 10.10am.
“Officers are at the scene and engaging with the man who remains in the flat.”