Fort St. John RCMP outline details of Sunday morning standoff

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — RCMP officers say Sunday morning’s arrest in Fort St. John came after a 911 call, where a resident said the suspect could have been suicidal.

According to a release, the call came in just after 5:00 a.m., with the caller explaining that she had “gotten into a fight” with the suspect and advised officers that there was a loaded firearm in their residence.

“With the presence of a firearm potentially involved, and out of an abundance of caution, police sent up containment around the residence in the 8500 Block of 85th Street in the city,” the release reads.

Officers reportedly evacuated two people from the residence while on the scene, but the suspect stayed inside. 

According to the release, those two people told police they had heard arguing and confirmed that there were multiple firearms inside.

The North Peace Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called to assist. When negotiations with the suspect deteriorated, the release says the ERT “deploy[ed] a chemical irritant into the residence,” leading to the suspect’s arrest without injury.

The suspect was released on court compelling documents, meaning they’ll need to appear in court at a later date. Police say they could face multiple charges.