Date: Monday, August 29th, 2022
File: 22-32810
Victoria, BC – VicPD officers were able to successfully de-escalate an incident involving an armed person in crisis after a several hours-long intervention yesterday.
At approximately 6:15 p.m. yesterday, officers were called to the intersection of Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street for a report of a person armed with a knife. Callers reported that, in addition to making concerning remarks to passersby, the person was stabbing the ground with the knife.
Officers and staff from multiple sections, including the Patrol Division and Community Services Division as well the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) and their Crisis Negotiators, responded and discovered the person was in crisis. Officers began to work to build trust with the person to help resolve the incident safely.
Nearby roads were closed to traffic, and nearby businesses were partially evacuated to create a safe area for officers to work.
Officers worked for just over seven hours to resolve the incident peacefully. Shortly before 1:30 a.m. this morning, officers’ efforts were successful. The person was determined to no longer be in crisis and the incident resolved. Officers connected them with supports and cleared the scene.
There were no arrests and no injuries.
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