A hold and secure at two Markham schools has been lifted and students have been allowed to leave, a parent of one of the students tells yorkregion.com

A man who is being described as possibly armed was on the loose after police stopped a car in Markham.

The incident began just past 1:45 p.m. after a York police officer stopped a car with four males inside, near Major Mackenzie Drive and Woodbine Avenue.

Although the officer intended to arrest all four men, one escaped and was on the loose, resulting in a large police presence in the area.

Two schools, including Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School and Sir John A. MacDonald, were placed on a hold and secure, according to the York Regional District School Board.

Police were advising those in the area to stay indoors and those planning to attend the area to stay away.

One mother at Sir Wilfrid Laurier explained to York Region Media Group staff that her daughter, a student at the school, was told that a black male in jeans and a blue shirt had tried to access the school, but this was later corrected by the board.

She added that while on her way to the school to see if she would be allowed to collect her daughter, she saw the K-9 unit and members of the tactical team.

Search helicopters were in the area and police said the male is described as black, with jeans and a blue shirt.

The YRP Twitter account at about 4:45 p.m. said the one outstanding suspect was believed to have fled the area.