A 22-year-old man detained by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) could face charges of armed assault, forcible confinement and evading legal custody after he triggered a police manhunt in Laval last weekend.
Laval police said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on July 4, when the suspect, whom police would not identify before charges are laid, was in the custody of CBSA agents and had been sent to Cité-de-la-Santé hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
Police say the suspect broke free from his guards and took a hostage, reportedly an 88-year-old woman who was visiting the hospital. She was released only after the suspect fled the hospital, police say.
The woman was shaken but not severely injured.
The escape triggered a six-hour police manhunt in the city’s Vimont district that ended when the suspect was tracked down with the aid of a canine unit.
The office of criminal prosecutions will determine what charges will be filed.