P.E.I. RCMP detain man 'in mental distress' armed with hunting knife

(Photo courtesy: RCMP)

HALIFAX -

RCMP in Prince Edward Island say they safely detained a man armed with a hunting knife after an incident that occurred in Enmore, P.E.I. on Sunday.

East Prince RCMP says at approximately 7:35 p.m. on Sept. 19, officers responded to a report of a man armed with a hunting knife driving an all-terrain vehicle in a dangerous manner outside a home.

Police say the man fled on foot into a wooded area near the shoreline before police arrived.

"To ensure the safety of the public and the individual, specialized policing services were called including the RCMP Police Dog Services and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drone)," said Sgt. Neil Logan with the East Prince RCMP in a release. "The use of the drone helped us locate the man in a marshy area nearby."

Police say they proceeded to make contact with the man, de-escalated the situation, seized the hunting knife and detained the individual without incident.

According to police, the man was determined to be in mental distress and was transported to hospital for further assessment. Nobody was injured during the incident.