Sarnia police have charged a man who was openly carrying a knife.
Officers responded to a Quinn Drive retailer on Friday afternoon following a call about a man behaving erratically, who had stolen and was openly carrying a knife inside the store.
Police were given a description and located the man near an exit of the store.
According to police, he was instructed to drop the knife, but the suspect refused and continued to scream at the officers.
After multiple attempts from police to disarm the man were unsuccessful, officers deployed a conducted energy weapon, which led to the man dropping the knife.
He allegedly continued to express his unwillingness to listen to the police by turning towards the officers with his fists up.
Officers were able to contain him and place him under arrest without injury.
"These are highly stressful and dynamic situations where officers are expected to make split-second decisions. I commend the involved officers for their multiple attempts to de-escalate and ultimately conclude this situation so safely,” said Sarnia Police Chief Derek Davis.
A 57-year-old man of no fixed address had been charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assaulting an officer, obstructing the police, causing a disturbance, and theft under $5,000.
He remains in custody following his bail hearing.
