PRESS RELEASE from the Nelson Police Department
Following up on reports of a knife-wielding man uttering threats at the mall, Nelson police ended up chasing a man across the Lakeside soccer fields before finally capturing him.
Nelson Police Department
A 23-year-old male of no fixed address is in custody and the Nelson Police Department recommends charges of assault, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, mischief and uttering threats. A police check revealed the man is wanted on warrants in Ontario.
The incident started on Wednesday, July 27 at approximately 7:45 p.m. when a worker at the Greyhound station in Nelson heard pounding on the wall of the Greyhound station. He went outside to see what was happening.
Without any provocation, a male passenger who was standing outside waiting for the bus and was believed to be responsible for the pounding, punched the employee in the face.
According to witnesses the male went berserk.
The male is believed to have assaulted a female who was also at that location waiting for the bus. He approached a truck parked in the back mall parking lot and kicked it. The male then threatened a couple walking in the area.
He ran from the mall towards Lakeside Park fields which were busy at the time of this incident. The male noticed several people following him, so he turned towards them, removed a knife from a sheath strapped on his belt and threatened to kill them.
As police arrived on scene, the male hid himself in the bushes at the west end of Lakeside Park fields. Police were directed into his location by several by-standers who also warned police that the male had a large knife. The male was not visible, but police could notice some movement in the low lying bushes. Police attempted to have the male come out of his location, but the male would not comply with police commands.
After several minutes, the male ran from the bushes and down the path and out onto Lakeside fields. Police chased the male on foot out onto the fields where the male was intercepted and taken to the ground and arrested. A large hunting style knife was removed from a sheath on the male’s belt.