News Releases

Pacific Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ABBOTSFORD, BC, June 23, 2005 - Two inmates who took a male staff member hostage yesterday at the Regional Treatment Centre in Abbotsford released him at 12:30 a.m. today.

There were no apparent physical injuries to the staff member.

The two inmates remained barricaded inside a room but surrendered peacefully at approximately 1:40 a.m. after communicating with Correctional Service of Canada negotiators.

The hostage-taking began at 6:30 p.m. yesterday (June 22) when the two inmates locked and barricaded themselves in a room with the staff member.

All other inmates in the institution are locked in their cells.

Abbotsford Police are on scene.

The Regional Treatment Centre and Pacific Institution are co-located in Abbotsford BC. The facility includes a 19-bed medical hospital, 96-bed psychiatric hospital, 96-bed rehabilitation unit, a 96-bed Regional Reception/Assessment Centre, and a 127-bed high intensity program unit.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Kevin Morgan
A/Assistant Warden, Management Services
(604) 870-7703