Hostage situation in downtown Edmonton - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Methanolic · 10-21-2009, 02:54 PM

The armed man at the centre of an ongoing hostage crisis at the Workers Compensation Board offices in downtown Edmonton is a former construction worker with a long-held grudge against the board, an acquaintance says.

The man's relationship with the WCB dates back to a botched knee exam, said Don Bellerose, who lives in the same assisted living facility as the man.

According to Bellerose, the man told his friends in the building a doctor had jerked his knee too far during a checkup, damaging his ligaments.

Bellerose said he has only heard his neighbour's side of the story, and he suspects there is a lot more to it. But from what his neighbour told him, the WCB felt the man was ready to go back to work and he disagreed.

In the last month, Bellerose said, the man has grown increasingly agitated and angry about his situation.

"He was normally not unstable," Bellerose said. "He was very boisterous and very, very high-strung."

Still, Bellerose never thought he would do something like this.

"The gun part really scares me."

The WCB dispute was not the only one plaguing the gunman, Bellerose said.

He was also engaged in a long custody dispute with the mother of his child, and three months ago he threatened to throw himself off the High Level Bridge, shutting traffic for several hours

drewboy12 · 10-21-2009, 03:00 PM

Pretty crazy. Hopefully he surrenders.

rubecube · 10-21-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Methanolic

"He was normally not unstable," Bellerose said. "He was very boisterous and very, very high-strung."

Sigh.

Displaced Flames fan · 10-21-2009, 05:22 PM

Well, if he has 8 people in a small room and he has to have a gun, that's the one you want him to have.

redforever · 10-21-2009, 07:12 PM

It is over now, he has surrendered and all hostages have been freed.

Methanolic · 10-21-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redforever

It is over now, he has surrendered and all hostages have been freed.

Did they let him keep the smokes?

Winsor_Pilates · 10-21-2009, 11:53 PM

great news! So glad no one was hurt

MoneyGuy · 10-22-2009, 01:01 PM

I was in downtown Edmonton yesterday. I had a meeting in a hotel near the WCB building. It was nuts. I couldn't drive near where I was going, so had to park a few blocks away and walk. Then you had to figure out how to walk there because there were cops everywhere. This easily costs tens of thousands of dollars in police, EMS and transit services.

shermanator · 02-08-2010, 06:46 PM

Update. Person who took the hostages appears to be defending themselves now.

Quote:

Clayton, 38, said he no longer wants prominent criminal defence lawyer Peter Royal to represent him and insisted on reading a prepared letter to the court.

Provincial Court Judge John Henderson repeatedly attempted to quiet Clayton, suggesting he should have a lawyer present to assist him.

Clayton appeared determined to address the court and interrupted the judge several times.

“Do you realize I lost everything?” Clayton said to Henderson.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Ac...019/story.html

This won't go well for him.

killer_carlson · 02-08-2010, 08:59 PM

Ok. This should prove the guy is nuts.

To put this in perspective for non-Edmontonians, Peter Royal is held in exceptionally high regard in legal circles. He is very bright, highly ethical, and takes an active role in pro-bono cases (like this) where the defendant is in desperate need of high quality legal help.

It would be like having Sheila Fraser (the Auditor General) offer to do your taxes after you got caught not claiming income, and then refusing the help.

On the other hand, firing highly competent well respected counsel to represent himself will likely ensure that the guy goes to jail for a long, long time.

4X4 · 02-08-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

On the other hand, firing highly competent well respected counsel to represent himself will likely ensure that the guy goes to jail for a long, long time.

Or it could ensure that he gets sent to the nut house, which, if I figure correctly, isn't as bad as the big house.

CaptainCrunch · 02-08-2010, 09:38 PM

Homer Simpson - "Your honor I choose to defend myself . . . Drunken Hillbillies of the Jury . . . "

corporatejay · 02-08-2010, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Ok. This should prove the guy is nuts.

To put this in perspective for non-Edmontonians, Peter Royal is held in exceptionally high regard in legal circles. He is very bright, highly ethical, and takes an active role in pro-bono cases (like this) where the defendant is in desperate need of high quality legal help.

It would be like having Sheila Fraser (the Auditor General) offer to do your taxes after you got caught not claiming income, and then refusing the help.

On the other hand, firing highly competent well respected counsel to represent himself will likely ensure that the guy goes to jail for a long, long time.

+1, he's a crim prof at UofA, and exceptionally well thought of, this guy is looney tunes.

Flames_Gimp · 02-09-2010, 12:04 AM

a picture of the suspect was just released!!

HOOT · 02-09-2010, 12:12 AM

I started reading this thread thinking to myself, hostages have been taken at WCB in Edmonton hasn't this happened once before? Then I realized it was a bump...

GreenLantern · 02-09-2010, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I thought everyone in Edmonton was a hostage...? It was the only way to get permanent residents..

Wow I didn't look at the date of the thread, and I was just getting ready to make this exact joke as I was scrolling down to see if anyone beat me to it..

Great minds think alike.