VICTORIA -- Two schools were on alert Tuesday after RCMP received reports of a man being threatened by someone wielding a firearm.

Oceanside RCMP say the incident first began around 11:15 a.m. after a man claimed that he had been assaulted and threatened by another man holding a gun.

The caller told police that the assault took place near the walking trails that lead to Springwood Park and Church Road.

Mounties rushed to the scene and told two nearby schools, Springwood Elementary and the Discover Montessori School, to shelter in place and keep all children indoors due to the incident being reported relatively close by.

RCMP officers and police dogs surrounded the area around and spotted the suspect on Fairdown Road around 11:35 a.m.

The man was taken into custody without incident while a police dog was able to track down an "item resembling a firearm" between where the alleged assault took place and where the man was arrested.

Police say the suspect, 43, is a Parksville resident who is "well known to police." Meanwhile, the victim of the alleged assault was also taken into police custody because he was wanted on outstanding warrants.

"Public and police safety are top of mind with the police, this is especially true when there are firearms involved," said Oceanside RCMP Const. Jesse Foreman in a release Tuesday.

"We were glad to have resolved this incident quickly," he said.