Man gives himself up after three-hour siege (update 3)

After a three-hour standoff on Tuesday a man armed with a shotgun who had threatened to kill himself before firing the gun into the air gave himself up quietly in Anthoupolis, Nicosia.

Police were called to the scene at 1.40pm after reports that the man, 38, came out of his house and fired three shots in the air after he had been heard shouting.

He then went back and locked himself in. Residents of the street told the Cyprus Mail he was a nice guy but had an argument with his aunt who lives next door.

He gave himself up at around 4.40pm after police negotiators, with the help of his friends who he had asked for, sorted things out.

Police cordoned off the road, asking residents to stay indoors.

Neighbours sipping beers and drinking frappes gathered in the street and on their balconies and watched the situation develop.

An angry woman shouted at a journalist, telling them they had no idea what they were reporting as one station had spoken of a hostage situation.

Heavily armed rapid reaction MMAD forces kept an eye on the situation while officers came and went from the new incident van they acquired last year which was parked up near the house the man was holed up in.

Reports that the man’s mother, who lives in the house was away as was his foreign wife could not be verified.

He was taken by police to the CID headquarters in Nicosia.