Armed, distraught Kamloops man taken to hospital

A situation involving an armed and barricaded man ended with minimal injury yesterday afternoon, Kamloops RCMP say.

Kamloops RCMP responded yesterday April 5, around 4:15 p.m., to a call at an apartment building for a situation involving the distraught, armed and barricaded man and attempted to de-escalate the situation, before contacting the Southeast District Critical Incident Program Emergency Response Team for assistance.

While RCMP tried to reason with the man, the building was evacuated as a public safety precaution.

Ongoing de-escalation attempts were unsuccessful, so ERT deployed a less-lethal intervention option. The man was taken into custody and transported to the hospital under the Mental Health Act.

“This situation posed a risk to everyone involved, including the residents who were evacuated from the building,” Const. Crystal Evelyn, Kamloops RCMP spokesperson, said in a press release.

“Thanks to the response provided and the utilization of the less-lethal intervention option, the man was taken into custody with what appeared to be only minor injuries and no one else was hurt.”

Kamloops RCMP would like to thank those who were disturbed by this event for their cooperation and understanding.

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