Man, 36, charged after nearly 10-hour police standoff at Disraeli Bridge

A man who police say was at large violating a parole order is facing a number of charges after a standoff with officers at the Disraeli Bridge that lasted nearly 10 hours on Saturday. 

Winnipeg police were called to Grove Street off Euclid Avenue after reports of gunshots around 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

Const. Dani McKinnon told reporters at a news conference on Sunday that police later learned a man had a prior dispute with residents at a home.

He returned armed and fired shots at the house, police said in a Sunday news release with more details about the incident.

While there was property damage, no one was injured, McKinnon said. 

The armed man then ran to the Disraeli Bridge near Sutherland Avenue where he hunkered down underneath, police say. 

Officers tried to get the man to rescind the firearm, but he initially refused. Police secured the area, blocking access to vehicles, pedestrians and boats for hours, while a team of crisis negotiators talked to the man. 

"He was in distress," McKinnon said. "For somebody to be armed and not able to come to a resolution sooner than later there's obviously some difficulties occurring."

The police standoff almost hit the 10-hour mark under hot and sunny conditions. McKinnon said a person was taken into custody at around 3:22 p.m. 

"It was a long, tense scenario for the entire community, for the police, for the person involved, the families of all the residents in the area," McKinnon said. 

A 36-year-old man who was at large and violating parole has been charged with several counts including possession of a weapon and discharge of a firearm in a reckless manner. 

Police said he remains in custody.