5-hour standoff with armed man inside Dufferin Avenue home ends with fire: WPS

A 31-year-old man has been charged after an alleged five-hour standoff with Winnipeg police.

Police officers responded to a residence at Dufferin Avenue near Parr Street following a call about an alleged assault involving a man and a female relative.

At approximately 12:35 p.m. on Wednesday, officers say that they encountered a distraught man inside the house armed with a knife.

The man fled into a different room within the home and barricaded himself inside.

Police say they safely evacuated all other occupants, including small children.

The alleged standoff lasted several hours as the assailant broke several windows and armed himself with knives, a crowbar and pieces of glass.

He refused to comply with demands and threw objects at officers. He also threatened to kill and, at one point, charged at officers with a knife before retreating inside.

During the incident, it is believed the man set the house on fire, and the residence became quickly engulfed in flames. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) was dispatched.

At approximately 5:25 p.m., officers say they the man opened the front door of the burning building. He was reportedly lying on the floor, yelling for help.

Officers say they noticed the man was not holding the knife, and took the opportunity to pull him to safety.

The WFPS then began efforts to extinguish the fire.

The man was transported to a hospital in unstable condition but was later upgraded to stable condition and released soon after.

He has been charged with arson with disregard for human life, assault, possession of a weapon and failure to comply with condition of release order.