On October 2nd, 2023 at approximately 10:30 pm members of the Morden Police Service responded to a call of an assault with a weapon at a residence on Westwood Drive in Morden. Police arrived and arrested one male and one female with a second male suspect still inside the residence. Police attempted to make contact with the individual, but the suspect refused police entry and barricaded himself inside the home. Multiple officers from Morden and Winkler Police Service responded to the scene. Due to the nature of the incident and a firearm being involved, the Regional Support Tactical Team, the Regional Crisis Negotiators Unit and K9 were deployed to the scene.
Police were able to obtain a Judicial Authorization to enter and search the residence. This incident went through the duration of the night with many officers enduring heavy rainfall and some being on shift for nearly 24 hours. The accused did not respond to numerous attempts from Negotiators to communicate and ignored different tactics used by police to have him safely exit the residence. The accused was also wanted by the Morden Police Service for failing to attend court on charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Methamphetamine. Once inside, police were able to penetrate through a make-shift barricade that the accused had set up and equipped with an alarm. Once police searched the residence, the accused was located hidden inside a wall, which he accessed through a hidden compartment. Police discovered that the accused had a backpack with a cellphone and a charging pack inside the wall where the accused could potentially have been in hiding for up to 12 hours. Police also located and seized a replica Assault Rifle which the accused had during the standoff. (see attached photo).
On October 3rd, 2023 at approximately 10:30 am the incident had ended safely and citizens were
allowed to resume their daily activities in the area. Police resources were used from the Winkler
Police Service and the Altona Police Service as well as assistance from the Morden Fire and Rescue. Many of these members were called out to assist with this incident in the middle of the night. This demonstrates the hard work and dedication of all involved.
As a result of this incident, 33-year-old Michael Anderson has been charged with Assault with a
Weapon, Uttering Threats, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose and Failing to Comply with the conditions of a Release Order x 3. Anderson was remanded into custody to appear in Provincial Court in Winnipeg.
A 25-year-old resident of Morden is facing a charge of Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous
Purpose. He will be appearing in Morden Provincial Court in January of 2024.
A 46-year-old resident of Morden is facing charges of Failing to Comply with the conditions of a
Release Order x 2. She will be appearing in Morden Provincial Court in November as she already
had charges before the courts.
The names of the two of the individuals cannot be released due to formal charges not being laid at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
Sean Aune, Inspector
Morden Police Service
