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Brooks man taken into custody following Riverside standoff

Feb 23, 2018 | 5:19 AM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Residents in Riverside were kept on edge Thursday night, after the Medicine Hat Police Service responded to the second standoff in the last two weeks.

According to police, at approximately 5 p.m., officers were called to the 200 block of Fifth Street Northwest to arrest a 28-year-old man from Brooks on an assault with a weapon warrant.

Police also received information the man could be armed, despite being the subject of a lifetime firearms prohibition.

“We took precautions,” said Inspector Joe West on Friday. “We didn’t do the usual door knock and arrest. We tried to call that person out of the home with our patrol officers. There was really no response from that person. At that point, we decided to bring in the tactical team, given the possibility of firearms.”

The tactical team blocked the area, and began trying to communicate with the suspect, eventually being able to establish communication. At approximately 10:15 p.m., the suspect was arrested without incident.

No firearms were located.

West thanked residents of the street for their patience.

“We understand these types of incidents often bring a lot of resources into a neighbourhood or area, and sometimes require people to shelter in place, stay in their homes or evacuate,” he said. “The people in the neighbourhood were excellent and understood what we were trying to accomplish.

It’s the second standoff police have responded to in February.. On Feb 12, officers were called to a home on Cuyler Road for a standoff that lasted nine hours.

“With regards to frequency, I don’t know if we’ve had more this year than we had last year,” said West. “Sometimes, they’ll come and we’ll get two or three of them in a short period of time, and then none for several months. But certainly, having two within two weeks is unusual.”

The 28-year-old man arrested in Riverside is still awaiting a bail hearing, and cannot be named until charges are sworn against him.