Man arrested after swinging machete, hacksaw on busy city streets: Kingston police

Kingston police have arrested a man who allegedly caused a disturbance by waving a machete and a hacksaw midtown on city streets Sunday evening.

According to Kingston police, a Frontenac Paramedic superintendent was driving down Sir A. MacDonald Boulevard near Van Order Drive when he saw two men in a heated argument, one of whom was reportedly waving a large machete.

The paramedic superintendent followed the machete-wielding man who was walking towards Bath Road, still waving the weapon. At one point, police say, the man began weaving in an out of traffic, sweating profusely, despite wearing only a t-shirt in the cold weather.

He then slammed his backpack on the ground and brought out a hacksaw, according to police.

The paramedic inside his vehicle turned on his emergency lights to control traffic and tried to approach the man, who at that time had made his way to the Petro Canada gas station at Bath and Palace roads. The paramedic told gas station employees to lock their front door, and customers to stay inside their vehicles.

“The accused continued pacing in front of the gas station while waving around both the machete and the hacksaw,” a Kingston police news release read.

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When police arrived, they say the man immediately dropped his weapons and was arrested.

The 27-year-old Kingston man was charged with possession of weapons dangerous to public peace,and two counts breach probation.

Kingston police also found a large duffel bag on Sunday behind a midtown apartment complex containing items similar to those the man was carrying, but Const. Ash Gutheinz says the two incidents are not related.