THUNDER BAY — A 63-year-old man is facing a new charge related to a standoff and hostage situation that occurred on July 4.
Morris Hogan now faces a hostage taking charge in addition to his slate of previous charges, some of which included forcible confinement, armed robbery, three counts of pointing a firearm, and more.
The Thunder Bay Police Service issued a media release just after 4 p.m. on Friday, stating that Hogan appeared in court earlier in the day to answer to the new hostage taking charge, and that he has been remanded into custody with a future appearance date.
The charges of hostage taking and forcible confinement both involve restricting a person's freedom. The difference between the two is the intent behind the restriction, according to the criminal code.
Forcible confinement involves depriving someone of their liberty, while hostage-taking involves using a person as a hostage to compel another party to do something, the code says.
Investigators and negotiators from both Ontario Provincial Police and the Thunder Bay Police Service were on the scene for almost 15 hours on July 4 while the standoff took place in a building along the 100 block of Cumberland Street.
Shortly before 11 p.m. on July 4, Hogan was initally taken into custody and charged.
None of the charges against Hogan has been proven in court.
