CHICOUTIMI – A standoff in Saguenay’s Chicoutimi borough between police and a 30-year-old man, who was possibly armed, came to an end Saturday afternoon.
The standoff began Friday evening when local police were called to a residence on Hemingway Street, after reports that a lone man had barricaded himself inside his mother’s home at 11:30 p.m.
When officers arrived at the scene, the man was making threats and appeared to have a firearm in his possession.
A security perimeter was erected around the residence and at least 10 neighbouring homes were evacuated.
A neigbour reported seeing the suspect’s mother leaving her home in tears.
At 12:30 p.m. the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) were called in to assist and eventually the force took over operations.
Jean Tremblay with the SQ, confirmed the man was known to police but it was unknown whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Saturday afternoon, 15 hours into the standoff, Tremblay would not say whether police were negotiating with the holed-up man.
He did confirm however that blank shots had been fired by officers in the hopes of forcing a reaction from the suspect.
The standoff ended peacefully at 3:10 p.m. Saturday, after police intercepted the suspect.
Tremblay would not reveal details of the operation but did say the man was arrested without any risk to his safety.
He was later taken to hospital in Chicoutimi for evaluation.
The investigation is now back in the hands of the local Saguenay police force.
It is the second standoff in the area in just two weeks.
On July 9, a 27-year-old man in Jonquière, believed to be in possession of a homemade explosive device, was fatally shot by police after a tense 16-hour standoff following a robbery in a pharmacy.
Quebec’s Bureau of independent investigations is investigating that shooting.
WATCH BELOW: Jonquière man shot by police during standoff dies of injuries
—With files from La Presse Canadienne
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