Friday morning standoff ends peacefully
53-year-old man taken into custody after 7-hour police presence on Morning Gate Drive
A heavy police presence in an uptown Fredericton neighbourhood in the early-morning hours of Friday arose as a result of a person barricaded inside a residence.
At about 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Fredericton Police Force issued an advisory on social media asking members of the public to avoid Morning Gate Drive due to an active police operation.
It followed up at about 7:45 a.m. to report that the operation had concluded.
The police force issued a news release Friday afternoon explaining why police were in the area.
“The Fredericton Police Force (FPF) responded to a barricaded-person-in-distress call on Morning Gate Drive around 12 a.m.,” it said, noting that various units - including its emergency response team, crisis negotiation team, forensic identification and patrol units attended the scene, as did a canine unit with the New Brunswick RCMP.
“Upon arrival, officers quickly secured a perimeter around the area to ensure the safety of nearby residents. Traffic was blocked from Rainsford Lane to Morning Gate through to Wedgewood Drive to ensure a safe environment for both the public and responding units.”
Even though officers cordoned off the area, the force said, police found there was no threat to public safety.
“FPF’s crisis negotiation team engaged the individual to de-escalate the situation, with the operation concluding at approximately 7:15 a.m.,” the release said. “A 53-year-old man was taken into custody without incident.”
The release didn’t indicate if the detained subject remained in custody, if he was released or if he was possibly transported to a medical facility.
The police force thanked the public for its co-operation and patience during the early-morning operation.
The Fredericton Independent can be reached at ftonindependent@gmail.com.