Canada Ping!
Posted on 01/21/2015 5:49:59 AM PST by Squawk 8888
Ottawa cops have sealed off an area in the east end due to a “possible threat” involving chemicals and/or explosives.
Cops say they are at the scene at St-Laurent Blvd. and Joseph Cyr Street and asking the public to avoid the area. The original call came in at about 10:15 p.m., involving a vehicle possibly connected to an investigation in Nova Scotia, sources tell the Sun.
“CBRNE and HAZMAT attended the scene to investigate a threat made by a suspicious male who had possibly checked in at the Chimo Hotel located in the 1100 block of Joseph Cyr,” police said in a release Wednesday morning.
Ottawa Police Const. Chuck Benoit said police do believe the man they are looking for is still inside the hotel. Officers are sweeping the large, multi-storey building in an effort to find him.
The Hotel was evacuated as a safety precaution. Numerous roads are also closed.
The Ottawa search follows two evacuations in the community of Cole Habour, N.S., on Tuesday. Reports there say police found a suspicious package containing hazardous chemicals at a home in the community. Neighbours were evacuated in that area, and later at another scene in a nearby neighbourhood.
Hazmat teams removed the chemicals. RCMP said the package did contain hazardous chemicals, but no explosives.
That investigation is also continuing.
A source says Ottawa cops had been given the name of a suspect, and a vehicle, to watch for, by police investigating the Cole Harbour incidents.
Canada Ping!
Ottawa police said a threat was made by a "suspicious male" who had possibly checked into the Chimo Hotel (near Highway 417 and St. Laurent St.).
By: Robin Levinson King Staff Reporter, Published on Wed Jan 21 2015
Ottawa police have a suspect in custody as they keep investigating a “possible threat” early Wednesday that forced the evacuation of a hotel in the city’s east end, police confirm.
Police said a threat was made by a “suspicious male” who had possibly checked into the Chimo Hotel (near Highway 417 and St. Laurent St.).
Const. Chuck Benoit said the investigation began at about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. The hotel was cordoned off and the guests evacuated.
“The information that we received that it was a threat; a suspicious male that was at the hotel. We have specialty units, tactical and Hazmat that are on scene.”
He said hotel guests were evacuated safely and quietly so officers could concentrate on what he called a “complex investigation.”
Benoit could not say how many people were evacuated.
“We used OC Transpo to transport these families to another location inside Ottawa at another hotel,” he said.
Police closed all streets surrounding the hotel and were asking the public to avoid the area.
The Chimo Hotel website says it has 256 guest rooms.
Man in custody the suspect as Christopher Phillips, a chemist.
Sure could if you can explain Canada ping to me or link it.
Good. That’s not exactly in my neighbourhood, but it’s a little close for comfort!
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