Police have made an arrest after a firearm was discharged outside a mosque in York, leaving the religious centre temporarily shut down while officers investigate.
The incident happened outside York Mosque and Islamic Centre on Bull Lane, one of the city’s most well-known Muslim community hubs. The mosque was closed following the incident as police moved in to secure the area and begin gathering evidence.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed that an arrest has been made in connection with the firearm discharge. Detectives are now working to establish the full circumstances around what happened, including whether anyone was targeted or injured.
The closure of the mosque will have been deeply unsettling for the local Muslim community, particularly given the sensitive nature of the location. Places of worship have faced increasing security concerns in recent years, and any incident involving a weapon outside such a site is taken extremely seriously by authorities.
Residents in the Bull Lane area reported a heavy police presence following the incident, with officers cordoning off parts of the street as forensic work got underway. Witnesses described the scene as tense, with many locals shocked that something like this had happened in their neighbourhood.
York is generally considered a safe city, and incidents involving firearms are relatively rare compared to larger urban areas. The discharge of a weapon outside a mosque is likely to raise serious questions about the motivation behind the incident and whether it will be investigated as a hate crime.
Police have not yet confirmed the identity of the person arrested or provided details about the type of firearm involved. Investigators are expected to release further information as the inquiry develops.
The mosque is expected to reopen once officers are satisfied that the scene has been fully examined and that it is safe to do so. Community leaders are likely to be in contact with police as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about the incident is being urged to contact North Yorkshire Police.