West Shore RCMP have identified 36 year-old Michael Godolphin as the armed suspect at the centre of a three-hour standoff with police on Saturday night.
What the RCMP called a crisis situation came to an end just after 8 p.m. on Sept. 3 when Godolphin, who was previously known to police, surrendered without further incident.
The ordeal began around 5 p.m. when police received a report of an agitated male in the 800-block of Langford Pkwy. The man was located by police on Veterans Memorial Parkway between Langford Parkway and Meaford Ave.
When he was located, officers noticed that he had a pistol in his hand and was waving it around. Officers on the scene heard at least two shots.
Veterans Memorial Parkway was quickly blocked off to traffic and the nearby Rona store was later evacuated as a precaution. Police widened the perimeter around the site as the standoff continued into the evening.
“We always have the public’s safety in mind and we deal with the perimeter accordingly … It can be a very volatile situation when we’re dealing with a man in a crisis situation,” West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube said at a Tuesday media briefing. The urban environment heightened the concern around the public’s safety, he added.
The man, who at various times was seated on the side of the road or parading down the street, engaged in several shouting matches with police negotiators.
Around 6 p.m., police shouted at the suspect with a megaphone, telling him to put his gun down and turn himself over.
The nature of the incident was such that specialized police units such as the Vancouver Island Emergency Response Team, the Police Dog Service and Crisis Negotiator Team and BC Ambulance were called upon to assist with the situation, according to RCMP.
The negotiation proved successful in the end and police took the suspect into custody before nightfall. The incident caused no injuries to either police, the suspect or the public. Berube also indicated that drugs may have been a factor in the man’s behaviour.
“We would like to thank the public and community partners for their co-operation into resolving this conflict safely,” he added.
A police report has been forwarded to Crown Counsel with recommended weapons and drug-related charges.
Godolphin remains in custody.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
