An "incident involving a firearm" Wednesday had RCMP asking Port Coquitlam residents in an area along the Coquitlam River to lock their doors and stay inside for more than an hour Wednesday afternoon.
A caller at about 3:20 p.m. told RCMP of a person in the area of the 2300-block of Kitchener Avenue who had access to firearms and was likely carrying one, said Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Michael McLaughlin.
Coquitlam RCMP then asked the public to stay away from an area bordered by Woodland Drive in the west to Shaughnessy Street in the east and from the Lougheed Highway to Lincoln Avenue in the north. Residents were advised to lock their doors and stay inside until the incident was over.
"There was never any direct indication there was any intent to harm anybody else but we don't take any chances [in those cases]," said McLaughlin.
He said police were able to apprehend an adult on a trail in nearby Westwood Park just after 4:30. The person was not previously known to police "but when you're dealing with a firearm in the public it's always something we take very seriously," said McLaughlin.
McLaughlin said there was some concern in the community when the news broke Wednesday afternoon but one of the things the RCMP has been told is when residents see a large number of officers in their neighbourhood, it raises alarms and they want to know what's going on.
"Once we explain to people why we're doing this [it makes a difference]," said McLaughlin. "With that explanation people reacted very well [Wednesday]."
McLaughlin said the suspect will be treated for mental health issues before a report goes to the Crown for potential approval of charges. He said the investigation could take some time to determine such things as licensing and the firearm's functionality. They will also talk to witness and are seeking any possible video or audio of the incident.
newsroom@tricitynews.com
