Sword and other weapons seized from man acting erratically

Calls from the public caused a heavy police response to downtown Kelowna after a man armed with a sword was seen acting in an erratic manner.

On Wednesday (Jan. 13) just after 1:30 p.m., RCMP received reports of the man acting strangely, with callers indicating he was believed to be in possession of weapons.

Concerned for public and police safety, officers immediately flooded the area and quickly located the suspect in the 1300-block of Ellis Street.

The 30-year-old Kelowna man was taken into police custody without incident. During a search of the man, police located and seized three knives and a large sword. Several other items that were also considered weapons, were located with the man’s belongings a short distance away from where he was apprehended.

“The man was held in custody while police carried out their investigation. His mental health was later assessed by the Kelowna RCMP Police and Crisis Team. He was eventually released on strict conditions, expected to appear in court at a later date, while the investigation continues,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, detachment spokesperson.

The findings of the investigation will be forwarded to the BC Prosecution Service for review and possible charges.