Richmond Mounties clear incident near No. 4 Road, man in ‘distress’ arrested

Police in Richmond say the “unfolding event” that had Mounties urging the public to stay away from No. 4 Road and Westminster Highway Wednesday morning has been resolved.

In an update from the Richmond RCMP, police responded to a call from a “man in distress” just before 2:30 a.m.

The man’s location was mapped to a rural farmland area, southeast of No. 4 Road and Westminster Highway.

Police add that when officers got to the area, with the help of the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service, they found a track into the area.

“Officers located the man and attempted to engage to ensure his safety and the safety of the public. During the encounter, the man produced and randomly discharged an airgun as well as stabbed the Police Service Dog (PSD). The PSD sustained multiple puncture wounds and was transported for emergency veterinary care, which is ongoing. Following the initial assessment, the dog remains stable and recovery appears favourable,” Cpl. Melissa Lui said in a statement.

Police say the man was “contained” by police, and the Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called in to help. The man was taken into custody just over five hours after the initial call, just after 7:30 a.m.

The incident is believed to be isolated, Mounties say, and there’s no ongoing risk to the public.

“Our teams respond to dynamic situations across the LMD, working closely with our local RCMP Detachments and Municipal Police Agencies to keep our communities safe,” Senior Sgt. Derek King said. “The well-being of our dogs and handlers is of the utmost importance to us. We will be continuing to monitor the condition of the PSD and support the handler.”

The Richmond RCMP says it is actively investigating.

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