Police arrest man after standoff

KITCHENER — A man is in custody after he barricaded himself in an apartment unit at Stirling Avenue and Charles Street for about three hours Tuesday.

Police officers, dressed in tactical gear with shields, stood in front of the house, speaking to the man and trying to convince him to come out.

During the standoff, police repeatedly called him by name and asked if he was OK. The officer asked about the man’s dog and told the man he was worried about him.

The man periodically appeared at the window and opened it slightly but didn’t come out. The officers asked the man to put a knife down.

Just after 1:30 p.m. police burst into the door at 50 Stirling Ave. and went into the unit.

The man was arrested and escorted out.

Police initially received 911 calls of a man walking in the area of Stirling Avenue toward King Street with a large knife at about 9:30 a.m.

Some callers described the weapon as a sword.

The man was seen threatening store owners and at least one pedestrian, police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said.

Nearby, Cameron Heights Collegiate was put on a hold-and-secure to ensure students were outside of the school while police negotiated with the man.

Shayna Park, 30, who lives in the neighbouring house was stuck in her unit because of the standoff. She said she was frightened and at one point got onto the floor as she listened to the police negotiator.

“They asked about his dog. They told him to drop the knife,” she said.

“I was terrified. I could see the police. It was very scary.”

Park, who’s lived next door to the man for almost a year, said the man is friendly and has offered to help her with her barbecue.

“I hope he gets the help he needs,” she said.

Josh Mansbridge just moved into the house across the street from where the man was barricaded.

“It escalated pretty quickly and all of a sudden there were nine cruisers and they shut down the traffic,” he said.

Mansbridge said he saw the man at his window holding a couple of knives.

Neighbours said the man has barricaded himself in the house in the past.

In May, 2017, a 27-year-old man was arrested at the same location after he barricaded himself in the house.

That incident began after a man stole items from a Little Short Stop store on Ottawa Street.

Officers ended up negotiating with the man for hours before he was arrested.

DAVID BEBEE WATERLOO REGION RECORD Waterloo Regional Police were at the scene of a home near Stirling and Charles in Kitchener where a man barricaded himself in an apartment unit.