A man was apprehended in a Cowichan Lake Road home after a four-hour standoff with police on Wednesday.
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP were called by a friend of the man’s mother who had gone to the home to deliver some food, and noted the son exhibiting unusual behaviour. The son yelled at the friend to leave.
Officers arrived about 4 p.m. and determined there were two people in the home, but did not go inside.
“The members made a decision to back away from the house to not rile the agitated man any more,” said Insp. Chris Bear, the detachment commander. “For the safety of all of those in the nearby area, Cowichan Lake Road was blocked and some residents in an apartment were evacuated.”
Bear said negotiators worked for close to 3 1/2 hours to get the man to leave the house, but were unsuccessful.
Finally, police were able to get inside the residence about 8 p.m. and apprehend the man after a brief struggle. He was taken to hospital for a medical evaluation.
His mother was uninjured.
A search of the scene turned up an unloaded firearm and several knives.
