Man arrested after city hall lockdown
DALE BOYD - Fri Nov 6th, 2015 2:00pm
A 39-year-old Penticton man has been charged with uttering threats following an allegedly threatening voicemail that locked down City Hall Wednesday.
Police responded to City Hall on Nov. 4 following complaints of a threat received relating to local residents who had their power shut off. RCMP assisted in a brief lockdown of City Hall out of precaution.
RCMP reported that officers attended the residence of the male in question and he answered the door with two hunting knives in his hands.
Police say the man confronted the RCMP officers verbally before retreating inside.
“There was no indication of any heightened threat, other than he had a hunting knife in his hand,” Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth said. “Eventually he did come out, very co-operative, no issues with the arrest.”
RCMP said that the man and his wife were eventually co-operative with police after the initial confrontation with the knives.
“It was a critical incident that was quickly deescalated by the police on scene,” Wrigglesworth said.
“It was kind of surreal for a lot of people. I was in the building at the same time and to have the heightened security, it was the kind of thing you don’t think happens in good ol’ little Penticton,” Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said.
He said a city employee was at the residence of the man in question earlier that day to shut off the power meter to his residence.
Read on at the Penticton Western News