Police standoff in Calgary continues into second day
Part of a major thoroughfare remained closed Friday afternoon and residents of an east-end Calgary neighbourhood were being told to stay away as a standoff stretched into its second day.
“We recognize the unfolding incident in Penbrooke Meadows has impacted the sense of safety for not only local residents, but also citywide,” police wrote Friday on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Tactical officers were executing a search warrant at a home in the neighbourhood at around 3:30 p.m. Thursday when police say someone shot at them.
No one was injured, but they say shots were continuing to be fired later that afternoon.
“I can say that there is a real threat of death or grievous bodily harm,” Supt. Joe Brar told reporters near the scene Friday morning.
Police say they worked throughout the night to safely resolve the standoff, but a man remained barricaded inside as of Friday afternoon.
Part of Memorial Drive, a key east-west route, remained closed well into the day.
RCMP were brought in to help, which Brar said is normal practice as officers working long hours need to be spelled off. He said he couldn't disclose how many officers were working at the scene or how many residents had been affected.
Police told nearby residents to continue to stay somewhere safe, and that those who weren't home before the standoff began wouldn't be able to return until it is resolved.
Late Thursday, police posted on X that anyone unable to get to their homes should find somewhere else to spend the night.
“While we have isolated the risk to a specific area, the shelter-inplace and evacuation of the immediate area are active,” police wrote in the social media post mid-morning Friday.
“We understand the uncertainty, fear and inconvenience felt by those impacted, but this is a necessary measure to ensure public safety.”
Police said area schools remained open and safe, but that people would have to take an alternate route to get to two of them.
City emergency agency staff also set up at a nearby leisure centre so displaced residents could get snacks, water, showers, somewhere to charge their electronic devices and mental health support.
“This was not our intent to cause inconvenience to citizens and residents,” Brar said. “And if it wasn't absolutely necessary, we would not be doing it.”