Man facing attempted murder charge after 24-hour standoff with police in Welland, Ont.

A 59-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge following an almost day-long standoff with police in Welland, Ont.

Niagara regional police said the man was taken into custody just before 7:30 a.m. Saturday, almost 24 hours after they were called to the area of Plymouth Road and Second Street for what they said was to help bylaw officers deal with a “fencing issue” that had been constructed on the property of a former church building converted into a residence.

An officer was shot in the chest, and the suspect then barricaded himself inside the home. The officer, who was wearing body armour, was taken to the hospital as a precaution and was released Friday evening after being treated for minor injuries.

Police attempted to negotiate with the man throughout the evening and into the early morning hours of Saturday, sending remote cameras into the residence, which they say were all shot at and disabled.

“Every time we did that, the suspect met those cameras with gunfire, just demonstrating a blatant disregard for public safety and the safety of officers,” Const. Richard Hingley told reporters Saturday morning.

The suspect, identified as Daniel Tronko, was eventually arrested Saturday morning for attempted murder and could face additional charges following an investigation, police said. He was taken to an out-of-town hospital to be treated for injuries. No one else was inside the home throughout the standoff with police, and no other injuries were reported.

Hingley said Tronko was “well known” to local residents and to city staff in Welland, but did not elaborate.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has been called in to investigate, as “firearms were discharged by officers during the initial interaction.”

In an update Saturday, the SIU confirmed there was an exchange of gunfire between police and a man and that he was taken to the hospital following his arrest to be treated for a gunshot wound sustained on Friday. The police watchdog says he was in stable condition.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police, among other officials, that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

With reports from CityNews reporter Nick Westoll in Welland