Canberra schools locked down by police

Police locked down several Canberra schools on Tuesday afternoon while they searched the streets for a man reported to have a gun.

ACT police responded at 1.40pm AEDT on Tuesday to an unconfirmed report that a man had been seen with a gun in the inner-south suburbs of Manuka and Red Hill.

During this time, several schools were placed into lockdown, including the prestige Canberra Boys Grammar School.

By 3.15pm the lockdowns were lifted.

Police say no firearm was sighted and they are investigating whether the report was a hoax.

They have taken a 25-year-old man into custody.