After hours of negotiations during a police standoff on Begbie Street in Victoria, a man is in custody.
Officers were called to the area just before 6:15 a.m. Wednesday morning after a report of an intoxicated man standing in the middle of the road in the area of Shelbourne and Begbie Street.
“I saw the gentlemen in the middle of the road, doing the wobble, doing the sway, shouting at someone but there wasn’t anyone around them,” said John Silvey.
When police arrived on scene, the man attempted to flee in a vehicle, allegedly crashing into multiple parked cars including the first attending police vehicle. Nobody was injured.
Police say the stolen vehicle was abandoned a short distance away, as the man continued to flee on foot.
Officers say the man fled to a two-unit house on Begbie Street. The Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, one armoured vehicle, dogs and a heavy police presence were at the scene near the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Negotiators were at the scene for close to eight hours, attempting to speak with the man through a megaphone.
Police also set off flash-bangs in the front yard to try and coax the suspect out.
One person was taken away in custody after coming out peacefully mid-morning, walking out of the building with his hands up.
At around 2:30 p.m., the suspect who remained in the house was taken into custody after police broke a window and brought the suspect out. Officers had a warrant to enter the residence.
Neighbours say three or four months ago, new tenants moved into the house, and the property has been dishevelled since, with lots of people coming and going, and what they called “suspicious activity.”
Others watched on shocked.
“I was in my house, I heard a loud boom. I didn’t see anything,” said Hailee More.
“It’s a very quiet neighbourhood, really safe, we don’t really see anything like this at the end of the block but here it is.”
The 2200-block of Shelbourne, close to Pembroke Street, was shut down but has since reopened.
“Thankfully our officers weren’t hurt and none of the public were hurt. It could have been a lot worse and we’re just thankful for that,” said Cst. Matt Rutherford with Victoria Police.
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