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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)
February 22, 2022 - 8:36 AM
Two men were arrested at the Northbridge Hotel Friday night after an unwanted apartment guest refused to leave the building.
Police were called by building staff to the former hotel on Feb. 18, around 4 p.m., where officers made several attempts to have the suspect surrender, according to a Kamloops RCMP news release.
Officers initially responded to 377 Tranquille Road to address the unwanted guest, but they believed firearms and an explosive to be inside the apartment unit upon further investigation, according to the release.
Eventually the two occupants complied and both were arrested. One man was quickly released.
“The scene was secured immediately to address public safety concerns, residents in neighbouring units were relocated overnight," Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Const. Crystal Evelyn said in the release. "the RCMP (explosive disposal unit) was called in to safely collect and dispose of the item, which was later confirmed to indeed be an explosive."
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Along with the homemade explosive, police found two pellet guns during a search.
The suspect did not live in the building, but he was staying with a tenant who was previously served an eviction notice, according to an ASK Wellness Society news release. ASK Wellness is the interim building manager for the City of Kamloops-owned property.
The eviction process is ongoing, but the release does not say when the tenant was served.
The suspect was released with a court date, and Kamloops RCMP expect to recommend charges to the B.C. Prosecution Service once the investigation is finished.
— This story was updated at 9:31 a.m., Feb 22, 2022, to add information from ASK Wellness Society.
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