Man dead after 30-hour stand-off in Penbrooke Meadows had history of violence

A man killed after a 30-hour stand-off with Calgary police that started Thursday afternoon had a history of violence in Drumheller.

Police have not officially identified the individual, but sources confirmed to CityNews the suspect who barricaded himself in the Penbrooke Meadows home while shooting at officers was Patrick Robert Kimmel.

He was arrested for an armed home invasion in Drumheller in 2021, and for assault in 2018, when he broke a man’s arm with an iron bar. According to a report from The Drumheller Mail, he also pleaded guilty to uttering a threat. He shouted at people on the ground from the roof of a hospital.

Kimmel has been wanted on multiple charges in 2021, including robbery, break and enter, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, and uttering threats.

The situation started Thursday afternoon when police tried to execute a search warrant on a Penswood Way home that they say is connected to firearm offences. Officers say the suspect started firing at them and continued to shoot from the home throughout the afternoon and into Friday.

Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld says they tried to negotiate for almost two days for a voluntary surrender but were unsuccessful.

“At this point, I can confirm that the situation has come to a conclusion and unfortunately one man is deceased,” the police chief said in a midnight news conference Saturday.

“This is an unfortunate outcome but our top priority was always the safety of the community.”

Police say more than 100 rounds were fired, some hitting nearby homes, and some neighbours had to be evacuated.

“From the outset of this incident we were dealing with individuals or an individual who was armed with high-power weapons and certainly that adds an element of complexity and danger to situations like this,” Neufeld said.

The stand-off prompted the evacuation of some nearby homes. 

Police cited safety concerns for the order to leave, noting active gunfire made the risk level “extremely high” for both officers and the public. 

“They closed almost all the neighbourhood, the access to our house was a little bit difficult, we heard a lot of shooting,” said one neighbour to CityNews.

“I was in my bedroom window and I heard the gunshots and then … then they got him,” said a woman who lives in the area.

At around 8:30 p.m. on Friday night, police say the situation escalated and members of the Tactical Unit, and the RCMP Emergency Response Team had to fire their weapons, killing the offender. By 10 p.m., police said the threat to public safety was over.

No information about the suspect has been released. So far there have been no reports of any other injuries and no arrests have been made.

Now the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has taken over the investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the police discharging their weapons

On Saturday, police attended each impacted property to speak to residents in the neighbourhood. A heavy police presence will continue in the area for the next few days.

Volunteers with the Calgary Police Victims Assistance Support Team (VAST) were on the scene, supporting residents impacted by the incident.