'Less-lethal' force used to subdue South Surrey intruder

‘Less-lethal’ force used to subdue South Surrey intruder

Three women flee home as intruder smashes through sliding glass door.

Police responding to a report of a suspicious man on a South Surrey property Saturday afternoon arrived at the scene as a trio of women fled for safety out the front door of a home on the lot.

Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said Tuesday that investigation determined that the women – a mother and her two daughters, aged 21 and 17 – ran out as a man smashed through a sliding glass door at the back of a house in the 3900-block of 152 Street.

Inside, police found a man holding a hammer and “bleeding heavily from cuts to his hands.”

When he didn’t respond to police commands, he was hit with two bean-bag shotgun rounds, Paquet said, describing the tact as a “less-lethal intervention.”

“We deployed two bean-bag rounds, which worked in convincing the subject to get down on the floor.”

According to the police report, the man was mumbling unintelligibly at the scene. He was transported to Peace Arch Hospital for treatment of his cuts, then to Surrey cells.

Paquet said motive for the incident remains unclear.

“There does not appear to be a connection between our suspect and the residents,” he said. “We’re still trying to figure out why he went to that residence.

“If it is random, it’s definitely something we rarely see.”

None of the women were injured in the incident, which occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. Oct. 11.

A 45-year-old Surrey man was to appear in court this week in connection with the incident, on charges of break-and-enter with intent and possession of a weapon.

 

Peace Arch News