NORTH Vancouver RCMP arrested a suspect after responding to a report of a break-and-enter involving a man brandishing a weapon.

On Saturday, June 17 just before 6 a.m., a security guard patrolling a vacant building in the 100 block of West 15th Street reported finding a male inside the building who brandished a weapon when confronted. Officers immediately responded and located the suspect inside the building.

The suspect fled on foot, eventually reaching the roof of the building. He then travelled on the rooftops of adjacent buildings, placing himself at risk while evading capture. Due to the dangerous heights, officers did not approach him, but continued to track the man from a safe distance. The man subsequently stopped fleeing, and remained on the roof of the original building.

Officers contained the area and contacted the Integrated Emergency Response Team (IERT) who are trained in high-angle operations. Just after 9 a.m., members of IERT and the Integrated Police Dog Services (IPDS) safely arrested the suspect, a North Vancouver man in his 20s. He now faces multiple charges including weapons possession.

“This was a dynamic and fluid situation for our frontline officers,” said Constablee Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer. “IERT are specially trained officers who can assist frontline officers responding to high risk incidents.”