Neighbour relieved Souris gun incident ended peacefully

Sheldon Lavers said he returned to his home in Souris, P.E.I., around 5:30 p.m. Friday with RCMP cruisers parked in front of his house and officers with rifles drawn surrounding the four-plex next door.

Lavers said he then sat by his window and watched the drama unfold over the next six hours as police warned residents to stay inside while they dealt with "potentially armed and barricaded person."

"I never left the window," Lavers said. "I watched from 5:30 right until midnight."

Lavers said he could finally relax when police brought a man out in handcuffs and put him in the back of the police car.

"A couple of the officers walked through my yard. I shouted out to them and asked them if everything was done. And they said, 'It's all done. Nobody was hurt, the guy's in custody and you can rest for the night.'"

On Saturday, Kings County RCMP Sgt. Chris Gunn said a 25-year-old Souris-area man, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on unrelated matters, remains in custody and is facing gun charges and as well as uttering threats and mischief.

We recognize that the recent events in our neighbouring province has heightened our levels of fear and anxiety in the community.— RCMP Sgt. Chris Gunn

He said police responded to a 911 call of a domestic complaint on Cantwell Crescent. Gunn said officers arrived on the scene to find a frantic woman outside the residence.

They could hear a man destroying items inside. Gunn said officers learned the man may have been using drugs and alcohol and could be in possession of a long gun.

Gunn said police secured the area with the help of the Souris Fire Department, and contacted people in the neighbourhood to advise them to stay inside.  Police also posted updates on Twitter.

Just after 11 p.m., police negotiators were able to convince the man to surrender.

No emergency alert needed, police say

Gunn said the situation did not warrant an emergency alert because it was contained to one residence.

Gunn thanked neighbours for staying inside during the "highly charged situation" which happened less than three weeks after a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 victims.

"We recognize that the recent events in our neighbouring province has heightened our levels of fear and anxiety in the community," he said.

Lavers said the tragedy in Nova Scotia was on his mind as he watched from his window. He said people who knew he lived nearby had been calling him all night to see if he was OK.

He said he was relieved nobody was injured and police were able to resolve the situation without incident. 

"It was fairly quiet," he said. "It was crazy to think it was happening in my backyard."

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