Two men were arrested after incidents in Thornhill prompted a large police response in the area.
Armed police and dog units were dispatched to Hinkler Road on Friday morning.
Emergency services swarmed the area, setting up a cordon around a block of flats and partially closing the road.
A man was seen stood on the balcony of a first floor flat in Baxter Road, shouting at officers on the ground below.
He was surrounded by several police officers, including armed police and dog units, for more than two hours.
The man then used what was believed to be an aerial wire in an apparent attempt to scale the tower block, before leaping to the ground below.
Police immediately pinned him to the ground before hoisting him into a nearby police van.
The cordon – which covered Hinkler Road from Warburton Road to Ellis Road – was lifted shortly after the man was taken away by officers.
The shocking incident unfolded after officers from Hampshire Constabulary were called to an earlier incident in nearby Lydgate Road.
They were initially called before 7am to a report that two men were seen on Lydgate Road – and one was reported to be holding a machete.
A 29-year-old man from Southampton was arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article and possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
A machete was seized and the man is currently in police custody.
Shortly after his arrest, officers were alerted to a concern for welfare of a man outside an address on the same road.
Specialist officers attended to ensure the safety of the man and others in the area.
A knife and suspected Class A drugs were seized from the man, a 31-year-old from Southampton.
An officer was also assaulted on his arrest.
He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and assaulting an emergency worker.
He currently remains in police custody.
Officers continued to carry out enquiries on both Lydgate Road and Hinkler Road while the investigation is underway.
At the current time the force cannot confirm whether the two incidents are linked.
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