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Nine-hour Courtenay standoff leads to probe by police watchdog

Officers arrived at the scene and told the man he was under arrest, but he reportedly produced a weapon and barricaded himself inside
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The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. IIO

B.C.’s civilian-led police-|watchdog agency is investigating an hours-long standoff in Courtenay on Sunday that ended in a man being injured during his arrest.

It began about 1:40 p.m. when Comox Valley RCMP received a complaint that a man was causing a disturbance at a residence on Morello Place.

Officers arrived and told the man he was under arrest, but he reportedly produced a weapon and barricaded himself inside, according to the Independent Investigations Office, which looks into police-related incidents resulting in death or serious injury.

The RCMP’s Island District Emergency Response Team was brought in.

CHEK News reported that dozens of officers were at the Morello Place home, along with paramedics and the Courtenay Fire Department.

Local residents said the man involved is in his 40s and had caused several disturbances in the area in recent months, such as throwing firecrackers and jumping in front of cars, CHEK reported.

Police were able to make an arrest about 10:45 p.m., leading to the man’s injury.

He was taken to hospital for treatment.

No further information is being released by police now that the watchdog agency’s investigation is underway.

Comox Valley RCMP are also conducting an investigation.