Scammer
Banned
Police say a young boy was held captive by a man armed with a knife at the Ray-Cam Community Centre in East Vancouver.
A young boy was freed by police Wednesday after being held captive at a Vancouver community centre for more than eight hours by a man armed with a knife.
Police say a man took the boy, who appeared to be about three years old, just before 6 p.m. PT Tuesday and entered the Ray-Cam Community Centre in the 900 block of East Hastings Street.
Police blocked off the area and negotiators were sent to the scene.
Vancouver police Const. Lindsey Houghton said officers decided to act after learning the boy had been sliced on the cheek.
"Our emergency response team members basically burst through the door and rescued the child from his arms to prevent further injury to the child," he said.
Houghton said the boy suffered a three-inch cut to his cheek.
"The cut, apparently, is quite deep in his cheek and will require at least stitches," Houghton said.
The man was also taken to hospital, CBC reporter Robert Zimmerman said.
Police said earlier that the motive for the attack wasn't clear and that the man didn't know the boy's family.
Hougthon said the 24-year-old man is known to police for mental health issues and previous violent incidents.
