Officers with the Moose Jaw Police Service had to use a conducted energy weapon (CEW) — or taser — while responding to a call on a man who wouldn’t put down a shovel.
Police were dispatched to a home on South Hill on April 7 at 1:35 a.m. for a report about an ongoing break and enter, where the subject was said to be armed with a knife, a news release explained. Upon arrival, police encountered a man in the backyard holding a shovel, who then threatened officers with the implement.
Officers attempted to negotiate with the man to drop the shovel, but he refused to comply with police commands. The man continued to threaten police with the shovel and then advanced toward them with the makeshift weapon. This forced an officer to discharge a taser, which stopped the threat and enabled police to take the man into custody without further incident.
EMS attended to the man’s medical needs afterward.
Police have identified the man as Richard Douglas Houghton. Officers charged him with break and enter, assault with a weapon, assaulting a police officer with a weapon and mischief under $5,000.
Houghton appeared in Moose Jaw provincial court this morning.
