Man on crossbow rampage injures three in UK city as people hide in restaurants (2025)

A man with a crossbow went on the rampage in Leeds (Image: Facebook/Yorkshire Live)

Three people have been injured in a "serious incident" involving a man seen with weapons reportedly including a crossbow in Leeds. Officers were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday (April 26) and found three people with injuries, according to West Yorkshire Police.

A woman who sheltered a group of girls inside a restaurant during the incident told Yorkshire Live: "It was really scary, because obviously, you don’t get this happening in Leeds. It’s not normal. You hear about this stuff in America, but not on your doorstep. It was really scary."

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The police said the victims' injuries are not being treated as life-threatening. They also said a male suspect has been detained.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called to Otley Road, Leeds at 2.47pm today to reports of an ongoing serious incident involving a man seen with weapons.

"Officers attended and located three people who had suffered injuries which are at this time not being treated as life-threatening. A male suspect was located and detained."

The spokesperson said a number of police scenes remain in place and ensuring public safety remains the force's priority.

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A cordon has been set up around the scene in Leeds (stock image) (Image: Getty)

The woman who helped shelter the group of girls said she and colleagues were alerted to what was happening when the youngsters came running in from the street asking to finish their food inside after they saw a man with a crossbow.

They then saw a post on Facebook of a man threatening an attack in Otley Road, with the police soon instructing them to lock their doors and keep everyone inside.

Leeds Live reports that armed police descended on the area in response to a "major" incident, which has closed the road and shocked locals.

The restaurant worker said she saw ambulances and police racing down the roads, adding: "The roads were getting blocked off, and we’d been told by police to keep everyone indoors and away from the area."