Man arrested after hours-long perch on downtown Ottawa roof

City's Centretown area looked like movie set after man climbed onto rooftop to elude police serving warrant

Published May 07, 2025 • Last updated May 08, 2025 • 1 minute read

Man on the roof of a building Tuesday afternoon near Maclaren Street and Kent Street and trying to avoid being arrested. Tactical officers are visible on the heft. He was arrested by tactical officers without injury just before 2 a.m. Wednesday. Photo by catslappedbylife via Reddit

Ottawa’s downtown area looked like a movie set Tuesday afternoon after a man clambered to the top of a roof to elude police attempting to serve a warrant.

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In a release, police said they received information Tuesday that a man wanted on an outstanding warrant was at an address in the 300 block of Somerset Street West in Centretown.

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Ottawa police noted the man was sought on a Canada-wide warrant issued May 3 after the man failed to return to his correctional residential facility.

On Tuesday, the OPP Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (R.O.P.E.) Squad, with the assistance of Ottawa tactical officers, executed a warrant at an address in the 300 block of Somerset Street West.

As police moved in, the suspect fled through a rear window and made his way to a rooftop in the area of MacLaren and Kent streets.

As he straddled the roof, police set up a perimeter to wait him out.

Police said Ottawa negotiators engaged with the man for about 10 hours on top of the building.

The man surrendered peacefully at about 2 a.m. Wednesday. No injuries were reported.

Police said in the release that the investigation is ongoing, and charges are pending.

Police thanked residents for their patience and co-operation.

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