NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE
*************************
On Oct. 25, 2020, at approximately 7:00pm, 3 District – Welland uniform officers responded to a report of a man armed with a knife at gas station in the area of East Main Street and Golden Boulevard East in Welland.
Responding officers received information that a male had entered the store and attempted to leave without paying for a drink. When the man was confronted by staff he brandished a knife and verbally threatened the employee.
Officers arrived on scene as the man was exiting the store still holding the knife. The man refused to drop the knife despite commands by the officers to do so. The man began moving towards an officer with the knife. A conducted energy weapon (AKA Taser) was deployed but was not effective.
Officers engaged in a struggle with the man as they attempted to place him under arrest and disarm him. Officers were able to handcuff the man and place him under arrest.
No officers were injured. The man was transported to a local hospital for a minor injury. He was treated and released from medical care. He was then transported to the Niagara Regional Police Service Prisoner Management Unit.
One of the three knives officers recovered from the man was found to be prohibited as it could be opened with centrifugal force.
Justin Michel Brousseau (28 years old) of no fixed address has been arrested and charged with the criminal offences of:
- Uttering death threats contrary to section 264.1(1) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code
- Theft under $5000 contrary to section 334(b) of the Criminal Code
- Possession of a concealed weapon contrary to section 90(1) of the Criminal Code
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon contrary to section 91(2) of the Criminal Code
Brousseau was held in custody to attend a video bail hearing at the Robert S. K. Welch Court house in St. Catharines on Oct. 26, 2020.
Anyone who may have witnessed this incident is asked to contact the investigating officers at 905-688-4111, extension 3300.
************************
