Machete-wielding woman arrested in Vancouver

A 49-year-old woman brandishing a machete has been arrested in East Vancouver following what police say was a "short but tense standoff."

Just before 11:30 a.m. PT Saturday, a 911 caller reported seeing a woman in Victoria Park carrying a large machete.

Responding officers spotted the woman walking north on Commercial Drive towards Kitchener Street.

As police approached, the woman became distraught and started shouting, before pulling a machete out of her bag.

The woman was repeatedly ordered to drop the machete, but police say she ignored their commands and continued to advance.

The woman was hit with a Taser stun gun, police say, but it had no effect. She was then hit several times with bean bag rounds, eventually causing her to drop her weapon.

Witness Diego Quero watched the event unfold from a nearby coffee shop.

"The thing kept going for several minutes, same thing — shooting and shooting and shooting again and shooting and finally the person disappeared from my point of view."

The woman, whose name has not been released, was arrested.

Charges of assault and possession of a dangerous weapon are pending, and a psychiatric assessment is being requested.