Langley City Police describe incident as a “psychological episode”

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Langley said a police operation that led to the evacuation of an apartment building in Langley City on Canada Day was the result of an early morning phone call from a person suffering from a “mental health episode.”

According to a witness, nearly a dozen emergency vehicles from first responders, police, fire and ambulances arrived at the building in the 5000 block of 204th Street on Monday morning, July 1, and blocked off the street for several hours.

A statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Langley said the department received a call from a person at that location around 4:50 a.m. and “during the call it became apparent that the person was suffering from a mental illness.”

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Langley, members of the emergency response team and a crisis negotiator were called in.

“Officers were able to successfully and safely remove the individual from her residence. She was then transported to a hospital where she received appropriate treatment,” the police statement said.

By mid-morning, the officers had left the crime scene and the residents were allowed to return to their homes.

“The Langley RCMP recognizes the importance of mental health and wants to reassure the public that there is no ongoing risk at this time,” the statement continued.

The Pyramid Apartments at 5360 204th Street, where the incident occurred, is a four-story, 44-unit apartment building built in 1977 and is slated to be replaced by a 12-story, 370-unit building – 317 condominiums and 53 rental units.

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