Calgary standoff wears on; some residents allowed to return with police escort

March 15, 2024 Canuck

Calgary police are allowing some residents of Penbrooke Meadows to return to their homes as a standoff with an armed man in a house wears on toward another day.

“The shelter-in-place and evacuation of the immediate area remains active,” police said Friday night.

Police said in a release that the situation remains “ongoing and dynamic,” but that they believe they’ve “isolated the risk to a specific area.”

The police release said, in part:

Residents located at the following addresses will be unable to return to their residences as the incident remains ongoing:

Penswood Place S.E.: 40 to 52 Penswood Place S.E.

Penswood Way S.E.: 264, 268, 272, 304, 308, 312, 316, 320, 324, 328, 332, 336 and 344 Penswood Way S.E.

Malvern Close N.E.: 235 to 239 Malvern Close N.E. and 304 to 364 Malvern Close N.E.

“Those residents are asked to attend the information centre at the Village Square Leisure Centre, located at 2623 56 St. N.E., where the Calgary Emergency Management Agency is supporting those impacted by offering snacks, water, showers, phone/device charging, emotional health support and additional information as it becomes available,” police said.

“The centre will close at 8 p.m. Friday night. If you need assistance after this time, please contact the CPS non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.”

The police release also said, in part:

Residents located at the following addresses with be able to return to their residences with a police escort:

Penswood Place S.E.: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76 and 80 Penswood Place S.E.

Penswood Way S.E.: 220, 224, 228, 232, 236, 240, 244, 248, 252, 256 and 260 Penswood Way S.E.; 348, 352, 356, 360, 364, 368, 372, 376 and 380 Penswood Way S.E.

“Those residents are asked to attend the Penbrooke Meadows Community Association located at 6100 Penbrooke Drive S.E.,” police said.

“If you require any other assistance, please call the CPS non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.”

On Friday. Calgary police remained posted outside the Penbrooke Meadows home with the armed suspect barricaded inside, and de-escalation efforts proving unsuccessful as the standoff passed the 24-hour mark.

The incident was connected to a search warrant being executed at the home on Thursday afternoon and has been ongoing since. Police said the warrant was in relation to firearms.

The risk level remains “extremely high” for both the public and officers.

Police provided an update on Friday afternoon, saying attempts to de-escalate and negotiate a voluntary surrender have been unsuccessful.

“However, we are confident that we can continue to work towards a peaceful resolution to this situation,” Supt. Joe Brar, with the Calgary Police Service operational support division, told media Friday.

Police have been using “non-lethal tactics” to help facilitate a surrender. Officers are also asking the suspect over a loud speaker to safely leave the home.

“We will continue with these tactics until such time that we do have a peaceful surrender, however, should the situation escalate we are prepared to intervene and stop any harm to the public or officers,” Brar said.

At 3:30 p.m. Thursday, police attended the home in the 300 block of Penswood Way S.E. with a search warrant.

As officers approached the home, they were fired on by an individual inside.

No one was injured, but police blocked off the home and told residents to avoid the area until further notice.

The order was later extended to include a section of Memorial Drive and residents were further instructed to find another place to stay until the situation was resolved.

Police remain at the scene of the standoff and are intent on staying for a long as it takes.

“While the risk remains, the Calgary Police Service is well-equipped and trained to deal with these situations,” Brar said, at an earlier press conference.

“We have a lot of professionals on this event that are working to bring this to a peaceful resolution.”

In order for police to achieve that, Brar says a shelter-in-place and evacuation order for residents will remain in effect.

There are two schools in the affected area, but Brar said they are open and students and staff there are safe.

The RCMP have also been brought in to assist with the standoff, but Brar said that’s common practice with “protracted events” such as this.

“The police services prepare for these types of incidents and they have pre-determined tactics and strategies in place and we will take as much time as needed,” Brar said.

“We know this has had a significant impact on the community’s sense of safety and it has also been an inconvenience to people’s day-to-day lives. We appreciate the public’s support to bring this to a peaceful resolution.”

Brar said police will provide an update via social media about the areas affected by this situation, where they are asking residents not to return until it is resolved.

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