Man taken into custody after officer wounded in shooting in Welland, Ont., ending 24-hour standoff

A adult male blockaded in a former christian church in Welland, Ont., was taken into custody betimes sabbatum, nearly 24 hours into a standoff that began over a fence dispute.

Residents are no longer being urged to remain indoors, Niagara regional police said on X, formerly Twitter, saying the man was arrested around 7:30 a.m. ET.

A shelter-in-place put into effect around 8 a.m. On Friday has also been lifted.

Police had been negotiating with the man overnight. The incident had led to a lockdown of schools in the area and a hold-and-secure at Welland Hospital that was lifted later Friday.

According to police, the man shot and wounded an officer after they had accompanied bylaw officials to the property to address a large fence blocking traffic sightlines.

The officer was taken to hospital and has since been released "with minor physical injuries." On Saturday, police said no further injuries were reported as they worked to get the man into custody.

Around 7 p.m. Friday, Niagara police said on X, "If members of the public are questioning recent sounds heard in the area, police have initiated tactics and equipment to determine the wellbeing of the male inside the home."

"We understand it's a strain in the community to have a shelter in place this long," Hingley said, "but it is for their own safety and it does help us do our job better."

Around 5 p.m., police said a shelter was established in a community centre at 145 Lincoln St. For those unable to return home as the standoff continued.

Addressing media at about noon, Hingley said the incident appeared to begin over a fence dispute.

City of Welland bylaw officials had gone to the property as "an enormous fence" was blocking traffic sightlines, and bylaw had requested to be accompanied by police to "keep the peace," he said earlier.

The fence surrounds an old church converted into a residence, Hingley said. Shortly after officers arrived, a man inside shot at them.

One officer was hit, but was protected for the most part by body armour, Hingley said.

Niagara police's emergency task unit, and Hamilton and Halton police remained on the scene at Second Street between Plymouth Road and Lincoln Street on Friday afternoon, "working to make the area safe," Hingley said.

No details about the officer who was shot have been released.

But speaking from Buffalo, N.Y., Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters he'd heard an officer was shot in Welland and said she is "a wonderful person."

Ford said his "prayers and thoughts" are with her and her family, and police on both sides of the border.

"God bless her and pray everything's going to work out. I'm very, very confident it will."

Just after 11 a.m. Friday, Niagara police said officers had used their firearms "during the initial interaction" and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was notified.

The SIU confirmed it had invoked its mandate.

The police watchdog investigates incidents involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.

Schools in lockdown included Plymouth Public School and St. Mary Catholic School, but police said at 2:24 p.m. That staff were evacuated from both schools.

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