Unarmed police tackled an armed man who threatened customers in a kebab shop in Tulse Hill.

A Met Police spokesman said the man was wrestled to the ground in the fast food restaurant, near the junction with Brixton Water Lane, early on Sunday morning.

Police say they disarmed the man after he pointed a gun at customers then officers. They managed to recover the weapon and six live rounds of ammunition.

One eyewitness, who asked not to be named, told the Brixton Blog he was on his way home from a party when he saw the incident. He said: “It was the Turkish kebab shop on Tulse Hill. There were several police cars and at least 20 police officers, half inside the shop and half outside. The ones inside seemed to be subduing the man.

“Those outside were keeping people away including one woman who was arguing with them about their ‘heavy handed tactics’.

“I don’t know about the police inside the shop, but I wouldn’t say those outside were unarmed: At least one had a massive weapon, either a gun or taser gun.”

Chief Superintendent Matt Bell, Borough Commander of Lambeth, said: “The unarmed officers who tackled this suspect showed incredible bravery and put their lives on the line in order to protect the public.

“Incidents such as this demonstrate the lengths that Metropolitan Police officers go to on a daily basis in the fight against crime.”

Police were called to the kebab shop just after 4am on Sunday when a customer reported that a man had entered the premises and threatened people with a gun.

The suspect left the scene and armed officers tried to find him. Meanwhile, unarmed officers attended the restaurant.

While the police were at the scene, the suspect returned and the unarmed officers acted quickly to tackle the man was safely arrested and the gun was recovered, along with six rounds of live ammunition.

A senior police officer from neighbouring Southwark said yesterday that he was glad that the officers in question disobeyed Met Police policy in tackling the armed man. Inspector Kelvin Robbins Tweeted: “Good to see @metpoliceuk on the ball this morning re unarmed Lambeth officers disobeying all H&S rules and MPS policy to disarm gunman.”

Robbins added: “Mighty proud to wear same uniform as those Lambeth officers. And there’ll be officers like that in every nick.”

The man was arrested before being taken to a south London hospital after officers became “concerned about his health.”

Did you see the incident? Email us on newsdesk@brixtonblog.com.