UPDATED: Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 4:40 p.m.
REPORTER: Chris Woodard

A two hour standoff with police sends schools into lock down and shuts down the Williamson Street neighborhood.

It stated when a man allegedly fired a gun in a busy construction site.

Police tape surrounded the Willy Street area and officers used construction equipment as a shield.

Some even took up positions on the roof, closing in on a home they believed a shooter is hiding in.

Construction worker Leslie Morris said, "As I was crossing the street trying to get away from him, as I was crossing I saw the fire go off."

Morris says while working on the road crew he saw the man showing people a hatchet as they walked by and eventually playing with a gun.

Morris says, "He was sitting basically like Indian style on the porch, had it swinging between his legs and I glanced and saw it as I was crossing the street and he fired it off toward the air."

Morris says after firing the shot the man casually walked back into the home and police swarmed the area.

Construction worker Brad Stevens says, "Police come flying up and told me to stay out of the way."

Marquette Elementary and Georgia O'Keefe Middle School are put on lock down. Police keep neighbors in their homes and construction crews are evacuated.

Madison Police Lieutenant Kristen Roman says, "Information we had was sketchy. We didn't know if anyone else was in the residence with him so we worked to try to get as much information as we could."

With squad cars surrounding the area and all construction work stopped much of the talk quickly turns to how much this is going to cost construction crews.

They say they're losing thousands as they get behind schedule with every minute they aren't working on the road.

But after nearly two hours the officers draw their weapons and sprint towards the house as the man walks back outside on his own.

A woman is taken into custody. The man is hauled away and after a tense afternoon road work begins again.

Police say they arrested 47-year-old Forest Shomberg for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Most of the construction workers say while they have had complaints from some people about construction and noise they haven't had any prior run ins with this man.

Police say they're still trying to figure out what caused him to fire the shot

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UPDATED Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 1:25 p.m.

From the Madison Police Department:

A suspect has been taken into custody, and Williamson Street is open to traffic again. The MPD thanks everyone for their patience.

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UPDATED Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 1:15 p.m.

NBC 15's Chris Woodard reports that the incident appears to be over. Police tape is still up, but construction workers are re-entering their work zones, and neighbors are walking around the area freely.

It appears that two people were led away in handcuffs, one woman and one man.

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UPDATED Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 12:52 p.m.

From Madison Police:

Madison Police are - at this hour - blocking traffic in the 1100 block of Williamson Street following a reported weapons violation. A witness said a man came out of a building around 10:50 a.m. this morning, fired a gun, and went back inside a residence. The MPD is attempting to make contact with the subject. A reverse 911 call has been made to others in the area warning of the situation. The Madison Metropolitan School District is also aware of the incident.

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UPDATED Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 12:30 p.m.

NBC 15's Chris Woodard is on the scene. The area is under heavy construction, but construction is at a standstill for several blocks. Police are taking strategic positions around the area.

One construction worker nearby says they saw the man sitting on his front porch, fiddling with a hatchet. Shortly after, a neighbor told the workers that the man also had a gun. One of the workers walked by and saw what appeared to be a handgun in the man's lap. The worker turned to walk away, and heard a gunshot. He then turned back and, based on the man's body language, said he appeared to have fired into the air.

The worker says after a minute or two, the man then got up and casually walked into the house, "almost as if all he'd done was go out to his porch to get the paper."

NBC 15's Chris Woodard is tweeting live from the scene. Follow him on Twitter @cwoodardnews

Stay with NBC15.com for continuing coverage.

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Posted Monday, May 23, 2011 --- 12:14 p.m.

Breaking news at this hour. Marquette Elementary School (1501 Jennifer Street) and Georgia O'Keeffe Middle School (510 S. Thornton Avenue) are on lockdown.

Madison police are investigating shots fired along WillIiamson Street. Schools are on lockdown as a precaution. You'll want to avoid this area during your lunch hour.

Right now police are trying to make contact with an individual on the 1100 block of Willy Street.