Man arrested after pulling knife on police in New Westminster

Photo: Glacier Media

A suspect is in custody after pulling a knife on New Westminster Police officers, Wednesday.

Police responded to a report of a male banging on the courthouse windows at 6:30 a.m.

That’s when things turned ugly, police say.

“While officers spoke with the male, he lunged at one of the officers, who was able to push him off,” police said in a news release. “The male then pulled out a knife and advanced towards the officers, challenging them while holding the knife in hand. The officers were able to reposition to create distance, while other officers responded. The male continued to be non-compliant with officer’s direction, who believed he was a risk to public safety. Officers deployed the ARWEN, which is a less-lethal distance option, and moved in to arrest the male. The male was safely taken into custody.”

“This is an example of how a fairly routine call for service can escalate to a dangerous situation in an instant. Thankfully, officers were able to use their training and experience to resolve this situation safely,” stated Acting Deputy Chief Paul Hyland. “The male sustained a minor injury to his thigh as a result of the ARWEN and was assessed medically at a local area hospital.”

A 35 year-old New Westminster resident has been charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer with a weapon.