Barricaded man draws large police presence in Maple Ridge

Reports of a man barricaded with a machete inside a shelter in Maple Ridge, drew a large police presence on Wednesday.

The Ridge Meadows RCMP received a non-emergency call reporting that a man was in possession of a machete and acting erratically in the 22500 block area of Royal Crescent on Aug. 11 at around 9:50 p.m.

Police report suggests that the man’s behavior was escalating and he had barricaded himself inside a room.

The Ridge Meadows RCMP, along with the RCMP’s Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team (ERT), were able to peacefully apprehend the man who was, according to the RCMP, under mental health duress. The teams employed safe tactical measures and the man was safely apprehended and transported to hospital, said Inspector Jayson Lucash.

“We were very concerned for this person, his own safety and the safety of those around him,” Lucash said. “Mental health calls such as this highlight the resources it takes to perform an integrated approach in compassionately and successfully ensuring the safety of everyone and we are glad this man is going to get the help he will need.”

Based on reports from the community, the standoff lasted a long time, and the RCMP was still trying to get the man out well after 1 a.m.

Several residents in the area even took to social media to express their frustration over the incident. One such local, Brenda Mallinson, wrote to The News and expressed her anger over having to face the disturbances and problems as a result of the shelter.

”I was woken up at 1 a.m. to the sound of smashing glass, alarms going off, a dog going crazy barking, and a guy yelling at the top of his lungs. Apparently a guy did not want to leave the shelter ..so he made a huge scene, woke up everyone in the neighborhood, cost us tax dollars to get the police to remove him,” she wrote.

“This is not a way to live in my home I paid for. This place is so out of control…it has ruined the community. I am beyond having had enough.”

Roads in the area were closed while ERT and police negotiators were responding to the incident.

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