Following the annual beloved Victoria Royals Pink in the Rink game, hockey fans were told to exit from the Blanshard side of the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre Friday night due to an ongoing police incident.
On the other side of the arena, police, along with the Greater Victoria Response Team (GVERT) had a stolen vehicle blocked from leaving on Quadra Street.
While most of the crowd were able to leave the game without issue, those who parked in the parking lot had to wait the incident out, or alternatively, take a taxi home and pick up their vehicles later.
At around 8:30 p.m. last night, police located the stolen RV near the intersection of Quadra and Pembroke Streets, steps from the VicPD headquarters and the arena.
Responding officers determined the suspect inside the vehicle had a history of firearms offences, and was believed to be potentially armed and dangerous.
With that information in hand, police established a perimeter around the recreational vehicle, blocking off neighbouring streets from Caledonia to Empress Avenues out of an abundance of caution.
GVERT were called in to assist and to “convince the man to surrender peacefully.”
Given the man’s previous history of firearms offences and reports that the man may be armed, GVERT deployed their armoured vehicles and blocked the vehicle in.
“Nearby streets were closed and families leaving the nearby hockey game and curling club, along with the public were asked to avoid the area out of an abundance of caution as officers worked to resolve the incident safely,” said VicPD in a statement.
The incident came to an end around 10:45 p.m. after the suspect surrendered without further incident.
There were no injuries in the incident, and following the arrest, officers executed four outstanding warrants.
The roads were eventually reopened and hockey fans still at the arena were able to access their vehicles.
Anyone with information on the incident isp asked to call VicPD at at (250) 995-7645.
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