Toronto police say a gun call on King Street West which shut down the area to traffic for hours on Thursday afternoon was actually a "false alarm."

Const. David Hopkinson said police descended on a marijuana dispensary at 365 King Street West, near Charlotte Street at around 1 p.m., after someone called police saying they saw a person with a gun force another person inside the establishment.

Police were unable to make contact with anyone inside the establishment throughout the hours-long ordeal.

When they finally entered the premises, they found no one inside.

A short time later, Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook told reporters at the scene that there is no threat to the public as the incident seems to be a false alarm.

"When we get calls like this, our main concern is the safety of the public and everyone involved so we treat it as a real call until we can determine otherwise," she said. "We have to always err on the side of caution and take steps needed to ensure that it is safe. We would rather do that then downplay it or not take it seriously and have it turn out that it is serious."

She confirmed police are not looking for any suspects and refused to speculate on whether the call could be an example of "swatting" -- where someone intentionally deceives police in an effort to direct to them to a particular address.

Commotion on King West

The police activity caused quite a commotion in the area with crowds of people gathering on the outside of police tape blocking off the scene.

At one point, an officer on a loud speaker was heard saying, “We have the building surrounded. You will not get hurt. You need to come outside.”

A CTV News Toronto reporter at the scene said she heard a negotiator on the loud speaker saying, "We know you are inside 365 Dispensary."

Later, police were heard saying, “Make a noise or find a phone and dial 9-1-1.”

Douglas-Cook told reporters police were taking every precaution in trying to confirm if someone with a gun was inside the premises.

“We do have to air on the side of caution,” she said. “We’re trying to be as careful as we can. Our priority right now is everyone’s safety.”

Several nearby businesses were asked to shelter in place while police tended to the scene.

The manager of Calii Love, which is located two doors down from the dispensary,said staff have locked their entrance doors and are waiting inside with several customers until the situation is resolved.

Sal Vescio, the owner of the building where 365 Dispensary is located, told reporters that he reached out to the operators of the shop and they told him no one was inside the building at the time police were called to the scene. 

He said surveillance cameras on the property confirm the shop was empty. 

"It is a good ending but why did it have to be like this? For what? For a phone call," he said. "They come block off the street and shut down all these businesses."

King Street was closed between Peter Street and Spadina Avenue and streetcars in the area were rerouted.

The area has since reopened to traffic.