A Mission man surrendered to police on Tuesday afternoon after a five-hour standoff with police.
The incident took place at the Best Western Bakerview Inn, located at the corner of Sumas Way and Lonzo Road.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said motel staff noticed a broken window in a first-floor suite at about 6 a.m. and attempted to communicate with the occupant.
They were unable to do so after two hours and contacted police, who arrived on scene at about 8:20 a.m.
MacDonald said officers noticed that furniture had been moved around the suite, including being placed in front of the window and door.
At the time, they couldn’t tell whether anyone was in the room.
Members of the emergency response team surrounded the suite, including with the use of an armoured car in the parking lot, and a robot with cameras was used to verify that a person was in the room.
Officers used several tactics to try to persuade the man, in his 30s, to leave the room. These included the use of stun grenades – non-lethal explosive devices – and a police negotiator pleading with the suspect to exit the room safely, indicating he would receive help.
The man surrendered to police, without further incident, at about 1:40 p.m.
MacDonald said the man does not have an extensive criminal history, but he could not comment on whether mental-health issues are involved.
He said police are continuing to investigate, and the man could face possible charges, such as for property damage.
Lonzo Road was closed to traffic during the incident.
