THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) has confirmed the peaceful resolution of a weapons incident, which quickly evolved into hostage taking and a standoff, in the city’s north end.
Officers first responded to the incident at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and remained on the scene for almost 15 hours while the standoff took place in a building along the 100 block of Cumberland Street North.
With the aid of negotiators, the hostage was able to exit the location earlier in the day and was safe, said the police in a release issued Saturday afternoon.
Shortly before 11 p.m., the police also resolved the situation with the male suspect, who was taken into custody without further incident.
“This was a high-risk, high-pressure incident that required absolute professionalism, courage and collaboration. From the first call answered to the final moments of resolution, our members and partners demonstrated the best of what policing should be,” said TBPS Chief Darcy Fleury, in a written statement.
The incident required the coordinated effort of numerous TBPS units and support from the OPP’s tactics and rescue unit, as well as the emergency response team.
“The outcome — a peaceful resolution — was possible because of the outstanding teamwork and dedication shown by everyone across our Service and our partners with the Ontario Provincial Police. No matter the risk, no matter the challenge — our teams put the safety of others first. That’s what service truly means,” said Fleury.
The service thanked the public for their patience and cooperation during the incident.
