Police standoff at Duncan apartment ends peacefully 

A standoff involving police and residents of an apartment suite in Duncan ended peacefully on Wednesday night, according to the RCMP.

Police were contacted by a Duncan resident who had concerns for the safety of a friend, after going there to deliver some food. While there, the friend noticed some unnerving behaviour from their friend, who said they were not okay when asked. The resident’s adult son also began yelling for them to leave.

Officer went to the residence on Cowichan Lake Road shortly after 4 pm and attempted to make contact with the residents. Through the interaction, they confirmed there were two people in the house, however they were not able to enter to check on them.

“The members made a decision to back away from the house to not rile the agitated man any more,” said Cmdr. Inst. Chris Bear. “For the safety of all of those in the nearby area Cowichan Lake Road was blocked, and some nearby residents in an apartment were evacuated. The negotiators worked for almost three and a half hours to have the man exit the house on his own without success.”

Just before 8 pm, entry was made into the residence in order to ensure the safety of all of the residents. After a brief struggle with police, the man was apprehended and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The homeowner was also in need of medical assistance, but suffered no injuries from the incident.

“The complainant did the absolute proper thing in calling the RCMP in this situation,” said Vancouver Island RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau. “Their decision to immediately call police allowed two people in need of immediate medical attention to get necessary treatment.”

Investigators continued to remain at the scene for some time after the incident. During their search an unloaded firearm and several knives were located and seized.