A busker carrying a trumpet sparked mass fear and chaos on Melbourne’s morning commute as armed police swarmed a train station over fears a man was spotted with a gun.
But when police stormed Flagstaff Train Station in the city’s centre about 8.30am expecting to find a gunman, they instead found a well-known busker doing breathing exercises, apologising for the fuss he had caused.
A passenger called Triple-0 claiming a man was carrying a bag with a gun sticking out from it.
Passengers were immediately evacuated from the area as police searched the station and trains.
By mid-morning, police confirmed the man was a busker who had been carrying a sports duffel bag with an instrument in it.
A musician known as the ‘barefoot busker’ sparked chaos at a Melbourne train station on Thursday morning when a passenger mistook his trumpet for a gun. Busker Phil Day pictured
The railway station manager told Daily Mail Australia the busker was Phil Day, who plays a trumpet and has a strong following.
Mr Day is best known as the ‘barefoot busker’ who regularly entertains commuters at Southern Cross Train station in the mornings and afternoons.
Day told The Age earlier this year that he plays barefoot because it allows him to use his entire body to create sound.
‘I can breathe and stretch my body better if I don’t wear shoes,’ Day said at the time.
‘It’s about efficiency and effectiveness: if my body’s not working, it just makes playing the trumpet hard work.’
Victoria Police (pictured) responded to an incident at Flagstaff train station in the city’s centre on Thursday
Police in riot gear search Flagstaff train station on Thursday morning
Commuters were told by a train driver someone had been spotted with a firearm on Thursday morning
Police stormed the station on Thursday morning as the City Loop stopped operating
Victoria Police Inspector Jacob Bugeja said a person had been seen carrying a sports duffel bag doing breathing exercises on the train.
‘He was a local busker who was there to play an instrument in town.
‘There was a bag a person was carrying to do his busking in. Nothing was left on the train. They exited the train at another station.’
He said after viewing security footage police were able to track the man in question to the CBD where police spoke to him.
The busker was found within 20 minutes, Inspector Bugeja said.
People were encouraged to report any strange activity to police, he said.
‘We can then make sure there is no risk ongoing.’
Hundreds of commuters were left stranded as the city loop service stopped running while police searched Flagstaff Station
Armed police were seen surrounding the train station on Thursday morning
Panic erupted among commuters, with some left in tears over fears of a gunman.
Sarsha Vacocz told ABC passengers dropped to the ground when police stormed a train.
‘Everybody started panicking. There was a woman next to me in hysterics, she was calling her whole family, telling them that she loved them, that she wasn’t sure what was going on. She thought it was a terrorist attack.
She said the police officer calmly told everyone to stand up, put their hands on their head and walk out of the train.
Victoria Police have confirmed they are responding to an incident at Flagstaff train station
Hundreds of passengers were stranded as all trains stopped running to Flagstaff as police searched area.
The City Loop service resumed running by 9.10am after police declared the area safe, according to Metro Train, however, passengers have been warned there will be delays up to 30 minutes.
In a statement, police said they would continue to investigate the incident, however at this time there was no ongoing threat to the community.
‘Police will remain in the area today to speak with any members of the public who may have concerns.’
people too to Twitter to share their astonishment that a busker carrying a trumpet had sparked mass fear and chaos Melbourne’s morning commute
Commuters have been left stranded as police search the area
Armed police were also seen at Flinders Station