North Bay police arrest man after armed Cassells Street standoff

Undated file photo - North Bay police arrive at building. (CTV Northern Ontario)

There were some tense moments in North Bay on Wednesday when police were called to a Cassells Street apartment building about a man with a gun.

Officers were called to the 1100 block around 3:20 p.m. after the suspect allegedly pointed a handgun at a man and demanded information from him, North Bay police said in a news release Thursday.

Const. Merv Shantz told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an email, that the victim and accused are known to each other.

The suspect had allegedly taken an item from the victim earlier, Shantz said, and then is accused of using a firearm in a threatening way to try to get information in order to use the stolen item.

"When the victim fled the scene to call police, the accused entered a nearby apartment building," police said.

"Officers surrounded the building and the Emergency Response Team was called out."

Tenants were safely evacuated from the building and the suspect was identified.

After more than two hours and speaking to a police negotiator, the 39-year-old local man exited the building and surrendered himself to police.

He is charged with robbery, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and two counts of failing to comply with probation.

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No one was injured in the incident.

"A handgun was recovered at the scene and it was determined that it was a pellet gun," police said.

"The public is reminded that if an imitation firearm is used in an offence, police will treat it as though it was a real firearm and in court, the consequences can be same."

An investigation into the incident is continuing and the accused is being held in custody pending a bail hearing.