Man taken into custody in southside standoff

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 2, 2023.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Police officers stand outside a home where a man was barricaded inside Tuesday afternoon before he was taken into custody.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A quiet southside street east of Lakeview School on Tuesday became the scene of tension as police dealt with a man barricaded inside a basement suite of a rental home.

The home’s elderly landlord had evicted the man several days ago and was threatened with a gun on Tuesday by his tenant, he told The Herald while standing on a boulevard just south of the grey one-storey home. The landlord said he didn’t actually see a weapon.

Late in the afternoon, police took a man into custody and allowed the public to resume regular use of the area. LPS was not releasing further information by presstime.

The home where the man was barricaded inside has three suites, an upper one and two basement units, one a bachelor suite where the man now in custody lives.

Two other tenants were threatened by the man – who one said is in his 70s – on Monday as they cleaned the upstairs unit in preparation for a move to the other basement suite, one told the Herald as they watched the scene unfold from the shade of a nearby tree.

Multiple police units were on scene including three in the alley behind the home which faces the playground of the school. An ambulance was parked by the school. A BLAST children’s program was underway at the school as the situation was unfolded but was alerted by a parent who had ties to the other renters.

The renter told The Herald the barricaded man has lived in the house for about eight months and recently has been drinking heavily and not taking medication for diabetes.

Early in the afternoon, police arrived with a dog which sat in the shade of a neighbouring home. Later, the LPS tactical team showed up and onlookers were told by police to leave the area.

Police had entrances to the street barricaded to prevent traffic coming near the house.

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