An incident that began Monday morning (Aug. 10) with a report of a woman carrying a knife in an Abbotsford park ended with a foot chase, beanbag rounds being fired by police, and the arrest of a man who was wanted on outstanding warrants.
The incident began at about 10:20 a.m. when plainclothes officers responded to a report of a woman carrying a large knife and walking with a man in Grant Park.
Police said witnesses directed officers to the couple, who were known to police. The man was immediately recognized as Raymond Gilliland, 46, who had arrest warrants and was supposed to be under court-ordered 24-hour arrest.
The officers identified themselves as police, and Gilliland began walking away, and then ran, resulting in a foot chase through residential backyards.
Police say beanbag rounds were deployed, and Gilliland was arrested and then taken to hospital for the treatment of minor injuries.
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Gilliland was allegedly found to be in possession of a firearm, later determined to be a fake pistol, police said.
The woman also ran away from officers, and investigators are determining whether charges should be recommended against her.
Gilliland has 54 prior convictions, including for an incident in August 2019 at the Abbotsford Flea Market.
He was charged after police who were on site recognized him and asked to see the court papers that he was supposed to carry detailing his bail conditions at the time.
Police said he did not have those papers on him, but when they went to arrest him, a struggle ensued and one of the officers was punched in the face.
Gilliland was charged with seven offences, but in December he was sentenced to time served for just one – obstructing a peace officer – while the other charges were stayed.
He has numerous other prior convictions for offences such as possession of stolen property, making or possessing explosives, assaulting a peace officer, dangerous driving, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and various drug-related crimes.
Gilliland remains in police custody.
