What started as a fight in a pub on Galiano Island escalated into a full tactical team take-down after a man armed himself with an axe, struggled with Mounties and sparked an hours-long standoff.
Someone at the Hummingbird Pub called police about 8:20 p.m. Sunday after a 48-year-old man was assaulted and threatened by another patron. The victim had a minor head injury and did not require hospitalization.
Officers from Outer Gulf Islands RCMP went to the pub and took statements from the victim and witnesses. When the officers went to the suspect’s home just before midnight to arrest him, a struggle ensued.
The man armed himself with an axe and confronted the officers, said Island district spokesman Cpl. Darren Lagan.
Officers retreated from the property and requested backup from the RCMP Emergency Response Team. The ERT, using a police boat from the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP, arrived about 2 a.m. The man left his residence and surrendered peacefully about 6 a.m.
David Troy Fulton, 35, was arrested and transported to the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP detachment.
He is facing a slew of charges including uttering threats, assault, assaulting a peace officer, assaulting a peace officer engaged in duty, assault with a weapon and obstruction of a peace officer. Fulton was remanded into custody and is set to appear in B.C. provincial court today.
“This individual is alleged to have committed a series of criminal offences throughout this incident, resulting in significant police resources being deployed to safely bring him into custody,” Lagan said. “Thankfully, the alleged victim of this assault escaped serious injury, as did the multiple police officers involved in the arrest.”
