A 33-year-old Kitchener man has been arrested after a five hour police standoff Friday night on Victoria Street.

A section of the road between Walnut and Strange streets was blocked for most of the evening.  An emergency response unit surrounded the house.  Officers are still at the scene on Saturday.

Waterloo Regional Police Staff Sgt. Paul Driedger says police received 911 calls about a man with a gun. “Witnesses saw an altercation between a male and a female in front of a Kitchener residence on Victoria Street South.” Driedger says.

Police say the suspect crossed Victoria Street and threw a pole at one of the witnesses.  He was then seen lifting his shirt and holding what appeared to be a handgun in his back pocket. 

The man then took refuge in his own home with his parents.   Five hours later, he gave himself up. 

Police have not been able to investigate inside 226 Victoria Street South because they’re still waiting for a search warrant to be approved. 

Richard, a neighbour, says he didn’t believe it when his neighbour claimed to have a gun.  “He was bragging about it earlier, the day before.”

Others who live nearby are shaken by the event but aren’t surprised. 

Cassie Oliver lives two doors down.  “You always see police cars stopped at the house, but I’ve never experienced anything like that.  That’s for sure.” Oliver says.

Cheryl Anne Gutzke says she’ll be holding her children a little tighter and teaching them to be aware of their surroundings.  “There’s been problems with the next door neighbour for quite a while the police are always showing up,” Gutzke says. “What’s that saying? You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your neighbours.”

The suspect remains in custody and is awaiting a bail hearing.  He is being charged with assault with a weapon and weapons dangerous.