Assault, threats charges laid against man who allegedly used axe to break Surrey windows

A man was seen breaking windows in a residential area before barricading himself inside a home in Surrey Monday afternoon.

A 39-year-old man has been charged with several offences after allegedly breaking windows with an axe and barricading himself inside a Surrey, B.C., home Monday afternoon.

William Sumner has been charged with one count of assault with a weapon, two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and two counts of mischief under $5,000, according to online court records.

The Surrey Police Service said in a statement Tuesday that its officers were called to a trailer located near 113B Avenue and 124 Street around 2:45 p.m. The caller, a resident of the trailer, told police a man was breaking the home’s windows with an axe and threatening both residents.

When officers arrived, the suspect had gone into a house on the same property where the trailer was located, police said.

“Officers were unable to convince the man to exit the residence, so the Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team (LMD ERT) were called to assist,” the SPS statement reads.

The suspect and one of the residents of the trailer exited the house around 6:30 p.m. and were taken into custody, police said.

Sumner was also arrested on two outstanding warrants, one for possession of a weapon while prohibited and one for possession of a firearm without a licence.

Those warrants had been issued in connection to a separate investigation that began March 29, according to the SPS.

Police said Sumner remained in custody awaiting a bail hearing Tuesday. Online court records show he was scheduled to appear in Surrey provincial court at 2:50 p.m.