During last week’s incident where individuals barricaded themselves in a building on the east side of Lloydminster, I saw two people doing things that left me wondering, what were you thinking?
I never thought I would see these things during an emergency and never want to again.
In my line of work, we often team up with emergency personnel to help inform the public during unfolding situations. In over a dozen years, I’ve covered countless fires, collisions, standoffs, and more, from Windsor, Ont., to Lloydminster, Alta. and Sask. However, I witnessed two things last week that stood out above the rest.
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Tactical situations like the one on the city’s east side are extremely sensitive. They can escalate fast and endanger many. Police generally don’t block roads or issue warnings just for their own safety. It’s for yours, too.
Incident one
I don’t know if it was confusion, ignorance or stupidity, but with weapons drawn, roads closed, and loud warnings ringing out, someone just didn’t care.
A woman walked south down 45 Ave. past a police car and straight toward heavily armed officers. One officer intercepted her and told her to go back. She didn’t seem to want to listen.
Instead, she argued, pointed toward where she wanted to go, and based on her body language, insisted on continuing.
All the officers on scene worked diligently to keep the public safe that day. However, I commend the officer engaged with her for staying calm.
Incident two
The second moment that stunned me was someone livestreaming the situation to social media. What were you thinking?
Sure, the dopamine from likes and hearts is real, but is it worth it?
Police specifically ask people not to share tactical positions until a situation ends. Here’s why: they had surrounded someone with a history of weapons offences who had inadvertently been released from custody in May 2024. The chances he wanted to return quietly were slim.
If he had been watching that live feed, he could have used it to aim at officers. If someone had died because of that stream, would the social media attention have been worth it?
I want to thank Lloydminster RCMP and all emergency responders for their continued co-operation with media. An informed public is one of the best ways to keep everyone safe.
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