Man barricaded in Whitney Avenue home Updated

North Bay Police were kept busy Saturday night as one person, believed to have weapons, was barricaded in a home on the 100 block of Whitney Avenue.

Acting Sergeant Noel Coulas tells BayToday.ca that the incident started at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, as officers with the Street Crimes Unit attended the residence to execute an arrest warrant to the male suspect for failing to appear in court.

Coulas says that George McDONNELL 51 years old was charged with threatening death to a female, threatening bodily harm and assault to an office for resist arrest on October 24, 2007.

Officers on scene perceived that the suspect was threatening use of a firearm and called in the Emergency Response Team (ERT), trained negotiators and Incident Commanders. The officers also evacuated neighbours, cordoned off the street and cut the hydro off to the street lights.

Coulas confirmed that following an 11 hour standoff at 5:45am the situation came to a peaceful and successful conclusion.

“The suspect was taken to hospital for treatment of a minor laceration,” states Koulas.

He also says the incident was played out exactly how officers and negotiators are trained to handle such situations.

“The subject was arrested without serious injury or loss of life.”

McDonnell is being held for a bail hearing where further charges from the standoff are pending.

Coulas adds that the evacuated residents are still being returned to their homes and that the investigation is ongoing.