UPDATE:
A man is in custody after barricading himself inside an industrial-area building in Kelowna this morning.
According to an eyewitness, a middle-aged man was holed up inside a commercial building/garage, one with an automotive roll-up style door. The eyewitness said police tried negotiating with him, but that didn’t work.
From there, the eyewitness said police fired either bean bags or rubber bullets at a door, breaking glass in an attempt to get him to come out. A dog was then sent in and the man did come out, with police shooting him with the same bean bags or rubber bullets, which subdued him. The man was then taken away in an ambulance.
WATCH BELOW: Police smash window en route to arresting the suspect.
After the arrest, police issued a press release, stating the incident started when the man “who was observed covered in blood, became involved in an altercation with a civilian after he was found damaging the inside of a motor vehicle. The suspect allegedly became aggressive towards the civilian, who was forced to retreat and was uninjured.”
Police added that the “suspect engaged in a confrontation with the first officers who arrived on scene. He then retreated and barricaded himself inside a unit within the commercial complex. Kelowna RCMP surrounded the commercial building and called for the support of the RCMP South East District Emergency Response Team (ERT), police dog services and specially trained crisis negotiators.
“At approximately 11:30 a.m., tactically trained members of the South East District Emergency Response Team breached the front door of the commercial unit in an attempt to establish direct communication with the male. When the male refused to respond or follow police directions, ERT members utilized less lethal rounds and a police service dog. As a result, the male was taken into police custody without further incident.”
The man was assessed by emergency paramedics and is now in police custody. He is facing potential charges.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A man has locked himself inside a commercial building in an industrial area of Kelowna, and police are asking the public to stay away from the area.
The incident is taking place along the 300-block of Adams Road, with police stating they were called to the scene at 9:30 a.m. Police added that specially trained officers are trying to communicate with the distraught man.
“RCMP officers have established a perimeter around the commercial building,” said Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.
“RCMP are asking the general public to avoid the area until such time as the situation is resolved, as temporary road closures have been put in place along Adams Road between Edwards Road and Sexsmith Road.”
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