Saint John police have one man in custody after receiving reports of a man carrying a shotgun and uttering threats against police on the city's west side Tuesday afternoon.

The emergency tactical team responded and several streets were blocked off before the suspect surrendered without incident, Staff Sgt. Mike King told CBC News.

It's unclear whether the man was in fact armed, said King. No weapon has been located, he said.

The investigation continues.

Police were called to the area of Snacks convenience store on King Street West, near the Tim Hortons, at about 2:10 p.m., King said.

The suspect had allegedly told people in the store he had a shotgun and was going to shoot a couple of police officers.

The building was contained by patrol officers until the emergency tactical team arrived, said King.

"There was quite a bit of pedestrian traffic in the area. The streets were all blocked off. We got most of the people back inside the homes. Some people wanted to come back out and have a look, but we did the best we could to keep them in the buildings."

Customers at the Tim Hortons were moved to a safe area inside the building and there were a couple of officers with them, King said.

Police cleared the convenience store, then received further information that the suspect was at another nearby location, he said.

"We made contact with him and he agreed to turn himself in," said King.

The suspect was arrested at about 4 p.m.