This picture shows the scene surrounding the Denny's restaurant on Columbia Street in Kamloops on Aug. 2, 2018, when a man allegedly barricaded himself inside the diner for hours.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - A man who allegedly barricaded himself inside a downtown Kamloops Denny's restaurant for roughly 10 hours is now facing charges in connection to the incident.

Online court documents show Justin Braden Hodge, born 1989, is facing one charge each of uttering threats, robbery, mischief, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and breach of probation.

He's scheduled for a bail hearing on Aug. 13.

Hodge is accused of barricading himself inside the Denny's restaurant in Columbia Street last Thursday, Aug. 2, starting at roughly 4 a.m. and ending shortly before 3 p.m.

Police said early Thursday morning, the suspect allegedly made a threat after receiving his bill which prompted staff and customers to evacuate, leaving the man by himself inside.

When police attended, it appeared the suspect closed all of the blinds in the restaurant. He allegedly only exited the restaurant once before his arrest, and police said he was brandishing a knife at the time. When he saw officers he went back into the restaurant.

A stretch of Columbia Street, along with parts of 6 Avenue, were shut down during the standoff. 

According to online court documents, Hodge has appeared in Kamloops Provincial Court several times over the years, including last December when he was charged with assault, uttering threats and wilfully resisting a peace officer.

He was convicted of assault and uttering threats, and court records show he was sentenced to four months in jail followed by a one-year probation period.

In 2013, Hodge was convicted of robbery and weapons charges, which led to a sentence of more than two years in jail. According to a Kamloops Daily News article from 2013, Hodge allegedly went on an armed robbery spree which including pepper-spraying victims. That spree led to the robbery and weapons charges.

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