Man armed with pellet rifle alarms east Vancouver

A man armed with a pellet rifle prompted multiple 911 calls and a precautionary lockdown of three schools in an east Vancouver neighborhood Thursday morning.

Officers with the Vancouver Police Department responded to a report of an armed man walking near Southeast 192nd Avenue and Southeast Westridge Boulevard just after 10 a.m., agency spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.

Officers responded to the area and located the man, who told officers that he was intentionally walking with a black pellet rifle to draw attention to himself, Kapp said.

The man, who stated he was 18, would not provide police with his identity, she said.

Police learned that he was in distress, having lost his house and belongings, and drove him to a social services agency, Kapp said. The issue was resolved in about an hour and the man was not cited, she said.

Union High School, Shahala Middle School and Illahee Elementary School, were placed on a brief modified lockdown, where unexpected visitors are not allowed to enter the buildings.