Residents frustrated with police after weapons complaint shuts down Halifax neighbourhood

Some Halifax residents are unhappy with the lack of communication from Halifax Regional Police after the force shut down part of a neighbourhood for several hours late Thursday and into Friday as it responded to a weapons complaint.

Police say they got a call around 9:30 p.m. AT Thursday about a man inside of a Robie Street building who refused to leave.

The man was believed to have a gun, but it was later determined to be a replica. Police say the man was arrested around 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Residents have reported on social media that police smashed windows at the home, used some sort of smoke bombs and then entered the building.

Maria Clancy, who lives on nearby Charles Street, said she heard 14 bangs.

"I don't know what a gunshot sounds like, but that would be my closest guess," she said. "And that's why I was counting them, just in case."

Police didn't post updates to social media

She said she checked the force's Twitter account for more information, but nothing was posted.

Police didn't write anything on their Facebook page either.

As of Sunday morning, both social media accounts make no mention of the operation.

Halifax police sent an email to a media contact list at 11:32 p.m. Thursday.

"Robie Street is currently closed between Charles Street and Willow Street," said the email. "Police operation in progress. We ask the public to avoid the area."

An email sent out at 4:32 a.m. Friday said Robie Street had reopened.

Taylor Hayne lives inside the area that was blocked off by police. She was at work when the incident started.

When she got off work and tried to return home, she couldn't get to her place.

When she asked one officer at the scene what was happening, she said she was told to "look at the news tomorrow."

Hayne said the lack of information has left her feeling unsafe.

Halifax police released statement Friday afternoon

"I honestly feel kind of crazy cause I was, like, you know, did I imagine it?" she said. "Was it even as big of a deal as, like, it felt at the time? Because it seems like it's being swept under the rug."

A statement from Halifax police about the incident was only released Friday at 3:38 p.m., more than 13 hours after the man was arrested.