Armed police and an air ambulance descended on Hartcliffe in South Bristol last night shortly before 6pm, startling local residents.
Officers attended a critically injured man in Rowan House in Bishport Avenue, Hartcliffe, who was transported to the hospital.
Avon and Somerset Police said that they believed it was an isolated incident, reassuring the public that there was not believed to be a wider threat and have explained why armed officers were sent to the scene.
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The police, fire, and ambulance services all attended the tower block, with the air ambulance landing in a field a short distance away, according to a local.
The armed response unit arrived quickly on the scene, raising questions about what triggered the need for officers carrying firearms.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said this morning (Friday) that armed officers were only on the scene because they were available nearby.
They added that it was not a dedicated job for armed police officers, but they happened to be nearby and were able to assist.
A police spokesperson said last night: "We were called by the ambulance service shortly before 6pm to an incident in which a man was found critically injured at a residential address in Bishport Avenue, in Hartcliffe.
"At this time we believe this to be an isolated incident and there to be no wider risk to the public."
Investigations are continuing today, with an update from police expected later this morning.
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