A young man is in police custody and facing charges after an early morning incident that led to a nearly five-hour standoff with police in south west Edmonton.
Police received a report of a young man allegedly pointing a handgun at two people at a house party in Mill Woods around 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
Officers determined the suspect, who they believed to be armed, had fled to a home on Blackburn Drive East in south west Edmonton.
Police say the tactical team was called out and officers made several attempts to contact the suspect in efforts to get him to exit the home.
“There was a good 10, 15 cop cars here, the helicopter above, cop dogs and then this morning SWAT showed up,” described Dillon Taylor who lives near the home involved in the standoff.
“I was freaking out and when the SWAT team rolled in I didn’t know what to do,” said Courtney Hill, another neighbour.
“I was shaking, speechless."
Residents tell CTV News they heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the area but police say there were no shots fired during the event.
“We used a number of police tactics referred to as diversionary devices. Those would tend to make a loud bang to get that individual’s attention to come to the door,” said Insp. Regan James with the Edmonton Police Service.
“There were no shots fired as a result of this event.”
The young man came out at around 9:30 a.m. and turned himself over to police without incident.
Police say the two others inside the home also walked out unharmed.
Police say a 17-year-old male is in police custody.
A search warrant was expected to be executed later Sunday on the residence.
Charges are pending against the youth.
With files from Amanda Anderson