THE STAND-OFF in Earlsdon Avenue North involving a 41-year-old man and his eight-year-old son has now been going on for almost 60 hours.
It began at 12.20am on Sunday morning when West Midlands Police was called to the address amidst concerns for welfare.
Among them were armed officers and trained negotiators.
Cordons have remained in Earlsdon Avenue North and the surrounding roads and the decision was taken to keep Earlsdon Primary School closed yesterday and today.
Police say their priority is the safety of those involved which includes residents who live within the cordon’s perimeter.
With the area in lockdown, the force has issued guidance on what to do when residents wish to leave or enter their properties, and officers have visited most of the addresses in person to explain what we are doing and why, and offer reassurance and advice.
The library at the junction of Earlsdon Avenue North and Albany Road has now closed as a help centre for residents who wish to seek support.
Anyone who needs help can call Coventry City Council on 02476 834025 (between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday) or 02476 832222 (after 5pm and before 9am).
Coventry Police Commander, Ch Supt Pete Henrick said: “We understand that this situation is deeply worrying for some local residents and we want to reassure them that we are doing everything we can to bring it to a safe conclusion.
“I ask that people bear with us as specialist officers remain at the scene.”
In a statement last night, the school said: “Due to the ongoing incident in Earlsdon, we have been instructed to keep the school closed and provide remote learning for the children tomorrow.
“We are very sorry for the inconvenience that this causes and we would like to thank families and staff for their support at this time.”
