Members of law enforcement investigate a situation near the bottom of Scholten Hill on Monday.--NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN
mccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
A man has been taken into custody and is awaiting formal criminal charges following a brief standoff with police in an isolated area south of Smelter Avenue and Factory Street on Monday afternoon.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., Medicine Hat Police Service received a report of a male in distress who was a possible danger to himself and others. MHPS located the male inside a structure at around noon and contained the isolated area, then after making several unsuccessful attempts to communicate, the MHPS tactical team and crisis negotiators were called to the scene.
The male then exited the structure at approximately 1:15 p.m. and pointed a long barrel weapon at officers, but an armoured rescue vehicle was used to provide protection and the male was subdued with a single-shot projectile launcher and taken safely into police custody.
“(It) was able to subdue him without any injuries … It’s like a baton, almost,” said MHPS Staff Sgt. Darcy Brandt said of the single-shot projectile launcher.
“There were no other persons involved. He was a risk to himself until he actually exited the residence and confronted police.”
A release from MHPS says, “the use of the projectile launcher offers a less lethal option to be deployed in situations where extended ranges are needed, to create greater distance between the officer and the high-risk person(s) in crisis, and potentially avoid the need to escalate to the use of lethal force with firearms.”
The subject is known to police, and Brandt says it is believed he was temporarily living in the isolated area. He was also found to be in possession of a replica handgun and large hunting knife during the arrest.
“Replica would mean it’s not qualified as a firearm. It could be a pellet gun, it could be an airsoft gun, but one that would look to be real,” said Brandt. “It appears that he was temporarily living in that area. I think some of the people in the community have indicated that he’s been there for a bit of time now.”
The MHPS Major Crimes Section is further investigating the incident, and the subject is being held in custody awaiting formal criminal charges. Brandt says the area poses no further risk to the public.
“Our major crimes guys are out there working on it right now and just trying to put the investigation together. That’s really where we’re at,” he said. “It’s quite a remote area. It’s not like a normal street, it’s kind of a bushed-off area tucked in behind.”
