(JULIE WHITTET / iNFOnews.ca)
March 25, 2013 - 11:22 AM
By Julie Whittet
A 49-year-old man is now in hospital for treatment after barricading himself inside his residence on Sunday afternoon. Const. Kris Clark said at today's RCMP press conference the man was known to police, and is a resident in a transitional housing building in downtown Kelowna.
At 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, March 24 Kelowna RCMP closed off the 1400 block of St. Paul Street when they received report of a man threatening to kill himself and potentially harm others. For two hours, the man barricaded himself in his building while police were on the scene. It took police another hour of careful negotiations with the man over the phone before he surrendered. Police found no firearm on the man.
Clark says police have dealt with the man before, in similar incidents where he's threatened suicide. The man will not face charges, but will receive treatment in the hospital.
Clark added that suicide threats happen more often than many may expect, but do not usually get media coverage.
“Statistically speaking, in 95 per cent of the cases, negotiation of surrender is successful,” he says. “It's a testament to the work on the ground and the ability of members to affect a successful and peaceful surrender.”
To contact the reporter for this story, email Julie Whittet at jwhittet@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 718-0428.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013