Victoria Police an “armed person in crisis” led to a heavy police presence at the intersection of Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street on Sunday night.
Police say they were called to the intersection at around 6:15 p.m. for a report of a person armed with a knife.
Ben Balderson, a witness, says police were responding to the area near McDonald’s on Pandora Avenue.
“Callers reported that, in addition to making concerning remarks to passersby, the person was stabbing the ground with the knife,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
@JoePerkinsCHEK @CHEK_News @cfax1070 heavy police presence at the McDonald’s on pandora, long guns out, potential hostage situation.. looks like they’re waiting on ERT. pic.twitter.com/d4Gwdb5DGX
— ßen ßalderson (@Benny____B) August 29, 2022
The Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, along with crisis negotiators, responded and “began to work to build trust with the person to help resolve the incident safely.”
Surrounding roads were closed to traffic as officers attempted to work with the person. VicPD tweeted the situation was resolved around 1:30 a.m., and the person was connected with resources.
Just before 1:30 this morning, after hours of working with the person, the situation was resolved without further incident. Officers confirmed that the person was no longer in crisis, connected them with resources & supports & cleared the scene. #yyj #yyjtraffic.
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) August 29, 2022
Update. Just spoke to a witness who has been on the scene, watching for a while. He says officers seem focused on one person who appears to be suffering a mental health crisis. Says they’re outside. No one is in the McDonald’s. https://t.co/ga5AhrDiaL
— Joe Perkins (@JoePerkinsCHEK) August 29, 2022
Balderson later tweeted that he could not see a weapon with the person who appeared to be the focus of the police response.
@JoePerkinsCHEK @GlobalBC @richardzussman Looks like it’s this person down here. They were yelling at police earlier.. I don’t think McDonald’s is the focus at all. I can’t see a weapon but she could have one down there. pic.twitter.com/YKGlKx69p8
— ßen ßalderson (@Benny____B) August 29, 2022
No arrests were made in the incident and police say nobody suffered any injuries.
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