A police standoff in rural Ladysmith came to a peaceful conclusion after five hours on Saturday with one person taken into custody.
The incident began just after 2 p.m. when a male in his late 40s entered the Chuckwagon Market on Cedar Road and allegedly began verbally accosting the teenager behind the counter.
Ladysmith RCMP received multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding the behaviour of the man, who is described as 6’2 and 240 lbs.
He is currently facing other criminal charges before the courts.
Staff Sgt. Ken Brissard said no threats were uttered but the man allegedly behaved “assaultive” towards the employee.
“You don’t have to make physical contact with somebody to be charged with assault if my body language is such that you take me as being assaultive, that you’re scared,” said Staff Sgt. Ken Brissard.
When Ladysmith RCMP arrived on scene the man had already made his way back home and refused to come outside.
Dana, the assistant manager at the Chuckwagon, said the man had stopped in twice earlier in the morning and appeared to be agitated when he came back.
“That third time when he came in he seemed to be a bit agitated…this is the first time I’ve ever seen him go off like that,” she said. “We asked him to leave and that’s that’s when he went across the street started beating up on his vehicle.”
A negotiator was called in as well as the RCMP ERT for the Island but the man was apprehended shortly before their arrival.
“He was arrested, he remains in custody and he’ll appear before the courts tomorrow morning (Tuesday),” Brissard said.
