Police say a man taken into custody after reports of shots fired at a popular downtown Victoria tourist area has  been released.

Officers were called to Fisherman's Wharf Wednesday afternoon after reports surfaced that shots had been heard in the area.

Witnesses told CTV News as many as eight police cruisers rushed to the wharf along with the region’s Emergency Response Team.

Staff at Jackson’s Ice Cream said the ERT members had riot shields and long guns, and officers convened on Dock E, which houses fishing vessels and monthly private moorage.

Pictures from the scene showed a crowd of onlookers gathered at the wharf, with a section cordoned off behind police tape.

People on vessels or houseboats at the wharf were ordered to leave the area as police began searching certain vessels.

Officers did board one of the vessels and ambulance arrived on scene around 6 p.m. but did not locate a firearm.

The scene was cleared around 7 p.m. and on Thursday, police confirmed that they found on evidence of gunshots aboard the vessel. 

The man was released a short time later without charges.

"Officers would like to thank the public for their patience yesterday while we investigated these reported gun shots," police said in a news release. "When we receive reports such as these, we need to take the appropriate steps in order to make sure everybody is safe including both the public and the responding members."