Elderly man faces weapons, assault charges in wake of long standoff in Montreal

MONTREAL – An elderly man has been arraigned from his hospital bed on 14 charges after a 20-hour standoff that ended when police used an armoured car and rubber bullets.

Isidore Havis remains in hospital under observation.

The charges against the 72-year-old include armed assault and uttering threats.

Montreal police seized 180 firearms and 40 bayonets from his residence after the standoff earlier this week.

Police were called to a home Tuesday morning after reports of a man waving a gun and threatening Hydro-Quebec employees who were working on his property.

The man barricaded himself in his house, rebuffing attempts by police to contact him by phone and via a bullhorn.

The incident ended early Wednesday when a Quebec provincial police armoured vehicle with a battering ram smashed down the front door, allowing Montreal police tactical squad officers to enter the house.

They subdued the occupant by shooting him twice with rubber bullets.