ON October 4 at approximately 10:20 a.m., officers from the New Westminster Police Department were dispatched to Royal Columbian Hospital after someone called 9-1-1 to report that a man with an edged weapon was threatening to harm staff.

Officers located the man and observed he was armed with an edged weapon. Attempts to de-escalate the situation were made. The man refused to comply with police instructions to drop the weapon. After some time, police used a conducted energy weapon to safely take the man into custody.

“Hospital staff face extraordinary pressures and should never have to worry about their own safety on top of caring for others,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “We’re grateful for their professionalism and we’re committed to being there when they need us.”