A West Kelowna man is facing firearms charges after allegedly firing a shotgun into the air while intoxicated.

RCMP responded to a call of shots fired at a home in the 3400 block of Elliott Road just after midnight Monday.

Constable Steve Holmes says they were able to confirm the 35-year-old man had fired two shots into the air.

“Police set up a perimeter around the residence and made many attempts to contact the man, who was inside his home. There was evidence to suggest that the man had been consuming alcohol prior to the shooting incidents,” says Holmes.

He says they were able to obtain the man’s cell number and contacted him at around 2:30 a.m.

“The man was asked to exit his residence to speak to police with regard to the discharge of firearms. The man, who sounded intoxicated, denied owning any firearms and stated he was going to sleep. Telephone contact was lost at that time and there was no further activity inside the residence.”

Holmes say they continued to attempt to make contact with the man by calling the home phone and cell phone and by sounding police sirens in order to gain his attention. All attempts failed.

“Officers attended the residence at approximately 9:20 a.m. and used a loud hailer to command the man to exit his residence. The man came outside and was immediately arrested without incident. A pump action 12 gauge shotgun was seized from within the residence.”

He says the man will be facing charges of careless use of a firearm and unsafe storage of a firearm and will be appearing in court sometime Monday.