A 37-year-old man is facing numerous charges after a child was grabbed at knifepoint at a school in Newton on Thursday.
At 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 31, police were called to a disturbance near École Gabrielle-Roy at 72 Avenue and 132 Street.
When police arrived they found a man holding a nine-year-old boy in one hand and brandishing a knife in the other.
After a brief negotiation, police say they convinced the man to release the boy and drop the knife.
During the apprehension of the man, who is known to police for mental health issues, officers deployed a Taser.
The suspect and the Grade 4 student from Gabrielle Roy are reported to be physically unharmed.
Omar Moustapha Hassan has been charged with hostage taking, unlawful confinement, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, kidnapping, and fail to comply with a probation order.
Hassan is in custody and was expected to appear in court Friday.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said because of the level of force used in apprehending the suspect, the Independent Investigations Office will be called to probe police actions in this case.
“The quick response and actions of the officers involved and their ability to de-escalate the situation immediately were essential in the safe conclusion to this incident,” Paquet said.
“As an officer, there is nothing more rewarding than safely getting a child out of harm’s way.”
