Spear-wielding B.C. man, neighbour who encouraged him arrested after standoff, say RCMP

A B.C. man who ran at police while carrying a knife and a homemade spear was arrested earlier this week, as was a neighbour who RCMP say encouraged the suspect.

According to Lillooet RCMP, the incident on the morning of Sept. 27 involved a man apparently having a mental health issue, eventually ending after a three-hour standoff.

Police say they were first alerted after being told that someone had been chased through a yard by a man with a knife, and that windows had also been broken on a trailer near Moha and Landfill roads.

“Police attended and located a male with knife and a large homemade spear,” said Lillooet RCMP.

“The attending member attempted to arrest the male for assault with a weapon when the male began running at police with the spear pointed toward the officer.”

RCMP say the officer evaded the man and tried to de-escalate the situation.

“The male appeared to be having a mental health issue,” said police. “However, he continued to be aggressive with police and refused to obey commands to drop the knife and homemade spear.”

The incident turned into a standoff, with the RCMP’s emergency response team (ERT) being called in. The ERT shot the man with a less-lethal 40-millimetre round that knocked him to the ground, resulting in his arrest.

Police say the man was transported to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and that the incident is under investigation.

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While that was happening, RCMP say a nearby resident began yelling at the suspect, attempting to encourage him while also harassing police and ERT members.

“The resident was told to return inside his house,” said RCMP. “However, he refused and continued to obstruct police. The resident at one point asked police to assist him with some firewood while police were actively engaged with the male with weapons.”

Police say after the standoff suspect was arrested, the nearby resident was arrested for obstructing a police officer and transported to cells.

RCMP said the resident was subsequently released with a future court date.

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The wife of the arrested man with weapons claims at least two strangers with known drug issues were on their property the night before, which triggered the man’s PTSD.

The wife also claims her husband wasn’t threatening anybody, and that the neighbour who was arrested wasn’t harassing police.