RCMP have taken one man into custody after police said officers were shot at by a man at a residence in the southern Alberta town of Pincher Creek Wednesday. Multiple schools in the town were closed as a precautionary measure before students arrived for the day.
Police said the suspect is known to police. Charges were pending as of 1 p.m.
“No one else was involved in the incident and the situation is resolved,” RCMP said in an afternoon statement.
Pincher Creek Sgt. Mark Harrison said police were first called for reports of gunshots. When two officers arrived at the home, a man fired at them. The officers then set up a perimeter and called for backup as the suspect went into his home, Harrison said.
Officers from surrounding areas, including Calgary, were brought in to help with the situation.
Harrison said there were residents in the basement suite of the house who were safely evacuated. He clarified there was no hostage situation during the suspect’s barricade inside the home.
The area had been contained throughout Wednesday morning and neighbours’ homes were secured.
The location of the residence was not released, other than it was near the Matthew Halton High School.
“Just before 6 a.m. today, a school bus transportation coordinator attempted to open the gates to the bus compound, but was directed by an onsite RCMP officer to vacate the area,” Livingstone Range School Division communications coordinator Zyna Taylor said in a statement.
Taylor said a “precautionary school closure procedure” was then put in place, along with the closure of all Pincher Creek schools that fall under Livingstone Range. The closure was also relayed to administration at Holy Spirit Catholic Schools, she said, along with officials within the Piikani education system.
The Pincher Creek RCMP’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) was dispatched to the residence and police had asked the public to stay clear.
The Pincher Creek town office, swimming pool and Memorial Community Centre Arena are closed for the day, according to information on the town’s website.
Pincher Creek Mayor Don Anderberg told Global News about a dozen employees were sent home from the town office and other employees were relocated to the town shop. He emphasized the importance of staying out of the area during the incident.
“It’s usually a pretty quiet place and you don’t see too much of this, but obviously it can happen anywhere,” Anderberg said.
People were also asked to avoid St John Avenue to Robertson Avenue and Main Street to Kettles Street.
Pincher Creek is located approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Lethbridge.
With files from Quinn Campbell and Matthew Battochio
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