East Village incident safely resolved

After more than 20 hours of negotiation, the incident in East Village impacting access in and around the downtown area has been safely resolved.

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at approximately 11:20 p.m., police were called to the Reconciliation Bridge, located at 500 Fourth Avenue S.E., for reports of a man suffering from a mental health crisis who had climbed to the top of the bridge. Police and emergency crews immediately flooded the area, attempting to make contact with the man, and closing roads in the area for both the safety of the man and the public accessing the area.

Today, Thursday, March 28, 2024, at approximately 6 p.m., after hours of negotiation utilizing several techniques made possible in partnership with the Calgary Fire Department, police were able to successfully negotiate with the man to voluntarily be taken down to safety. The man has since been transported to hospital.

We recognize that this incident significantly impacted access for many Calgarians commuting into the downtown area for work, accessing their homes and local businesses, while also causing several delays in the surrounding areas. We appreciate the public’s patience as emergency crews worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of all involved. We would also like to thank our partners at the Calgary Fire Department, The City of Calgary, and Alberta Health Services for aiding us in bringing a safe resolution to this incident.

The investigation is ongoing, and charges may be pending.

Case # CA24121298