UPDATE: Wanted man arrested at temporary housing facility

(Update: Jan. 14, 2021): Patrol officers, working with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT), arrested a man wanted on several warrants after a criminal barricade today.

Shortly after 12 pm on Wednesday, officers located a wanted man in a suite at a multi-unit temporary housing facility in the 800-block of Johnson Street.

The man was wanted on several unendorsed warrants for failing to comply with a probation order in relation to an assault with a weapon file, as well as a number of drug trafficking offences.

The man refused to surrender to officers and barricaded himself within a suite at that location. GVERT responded to the scene, and after several hours of negotiations, deployed a loud distraction device.

Shortly after 5 pm, the man surrendered to officers without incident. There were no injuries in the arrest.

Traffic in the 800-block of Johnson Street was disrupted for several hours while officers worked to resolve the incident. The area is now clear of police vehicles and traffic is no longer impacted.

The man was transported to cells at VicPD where he was held to await court.

(Original story: Jan. 13, 2021):

Part of Johnson Street has been closed as police respond to an incident.

The Victoria Police Department said they are responding to a report of a barricaded man in a multi-unity temporary housing facility.

The closure is in the 800 block of Johnson Street. People are asked to avoid the area.