One in custody after hostage situation - cops
Bradley Douglas Webb, 36, remanded on counts of pointing firearm, assault with weapon, forcible confinement as result of standoff that locked down northside area early Tuesday
The police operation that locked down a northside neighbourhood Tuesday morning involved a hostage situation, the Fredericton Police Force reports, and a city resident is remanded on serious charges.
The Fredericton Police Force issued a news release Thursday afternoon, shedding light on a situation that saw access to a part of Canada Street blocked by a police cordon Tuesday morning.
“In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, the Fredericton Police Force (FPF) responded to a report of a hostage situation on Canada Street,” it said.
“To ensure public and officer safety, a perimeter was immediately established around the location.”
Officers blocked traffic on Canada Street between Murray Avenue and Young Street in both directions, initially advising the public to avoid the area in a social-media post at 5:42 a.m. Tuesday.
“After several hours, the operation concluded without incident resulting in the arrest of two males and one female,” Thursday’s release said. “All five hostages were safely released.”
The force said members of its emergency response and crisis-negotiation teams responded to the scene, as did officers with the forensic identification, major crime, street crime and drug units, as well as members with the patrol division and the RCMP’s police service dog unit.
Of the three people arrested at the scene, a 33-year-old man was detained on outstanding warrants but released on conditions, the release said, and a 37-year-old woman was released without conditions.
Bradley Douglas Webb, 36, of Fredericton, was detained and appeared in Fredericton provincial court Wednesday.
He was charged with counts of assault with a weapon, uttering threats, forcible confinement and pointing a firearm.
The defendant opted to forgo a bail hearing, asking for his case to proceed directly to plea court, though he reserved his right to apply for conditional release at a later time.
Webb is due back in court Dec. 4 to elect mode of trial and enter pleas on the indictable charges.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.