Man arrested after 16-hour standoff with Barrie police seeks to be released from custody

Man arrested after Barrie standoff seeks bail The man at the centre of a 16-hour standoff with Barrie police last month seeks to be released from custody.

The 43-year-old man taken to hospital in distress following a 16-hour armed standoff with Barrie police last month is seeking bail.

CTV News will not be identifying the man at this time.

He appeared briefly in court from jail on Friday.

He was released from hospital where he was taken for observation following reports of a gun call on Nov. 19 just before noon.

“All we heard was a smoke grenade and a gunshot,” witness Shayna Companion said the day of the incident.

That led to the evacuation of nearby businesses and homes in the Bayfield Street area for the remainder of the day.

“They just kind of sent us on our way,” said Mackenzie Artuso. “Had no idea when we were going to able to come home.”

After officers took the man into custody at around 4am the next day, police officials said possible explosive devices had to be removed from the motorhome where he had been barricaded and safely neutralized.

On Friday, his lawyer, Laurie Galway, tried to speak with her client to work on securing his release from custody.

A publication ban prevents any evidence heard in court from being revealed.

According to court documents obtained by CTV News, the man is facing at least seven weapons charges. He is alleged to have fired a single shot at police and is accused of uttering a threat.

Witnesses said they’d seen the motorhome parked in a few locations across the city over the past several months.

The accused is scheduled to make his next appearance by video from jail in Penetanguishene on Monday. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.