Man arrested in Fireside following Christmas Eve standoff with Cochrane police

Residents in the Cochrane neighbourhood of Fireside were asked to shelter in place for more than three hours on Christmas Eve as RCMP members investigated threats.

Police issued the warning around 6:20 p.m., which included "the area of Fireside Bend, from Fireside Drive to Fireside Parkway, and to the east on Fireside Blvd north to Fireside Gate."

"There is an increasing police presence surrounding a home in that residential block and police will remain in the area until further notice," it read.

RCMP officials say officers, including the emergency response team and police dog services, were deployed to the community shortly after 5 p.m. following reports a man had been uttering threats.

Police were able to speak with the man, who is said to be in his 30s, but the standoff lasted for roughly three-and-a-half hours. At roughly 8:40 p.m., the suspect exited the home and was arrested without incident.

As of Friday night, the man, who cannot be named as he has not been formally charged, remained in police custody ahead of his judicial interim release hearing.