A 44-year-old Penticton man known to police is facing multiple charges after wielding an active chainsaw and barricading himself in a gas station convenience store in Summerland, Friday night.

On Oct. 22, around 6:30 p.m., Summerland RCMP responded to a report of a man using a running chainsaw to allegedly damage the inside of the Trout Creek liquor store and the gas station store located in the 6000 block of Highway 97.

The staff managed to safely get out of the store without injury while the man barricaded himself inside.

A police dog, negotiator and our Emergency Response Team were called in. After an hour, the man put down the chainsaw and walked out of the store, said police.

鈥淭he 44-year-old Penticton resident, who is known to police faces multiple charges. The motive for the incident is unknown, however, drugs are suspected to have been a contributing factor,鈥� said Const. James Grandy of the Penticton RCMP.

In speaking with the owners of the gas station, the man came into the store acting very erratically carrying a chainsaw that was going at the time. He damaged several parts of the store and threw some things around before surrendering.

All the staff were shaken up but not harmed, the store owners said.

The man is being held in custody until his first appearance in court.

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