Lockdown at Orillia City Hall

ORILLIA — A fleeing accused felon is back behind bars after causing a lockdown at Orillia City Hall this morning.

Orillia’s city hall was on lockdown Wednesday after a prisoner escaped police custody at the nearby OPP detachment.

Provincial police in Orillia had to scramble and call in their Emergency Response Team Wednesday June 6, at 9:30a.m.

Officers were dealing with a male suspect who was in custody when he ran from the detachment located downtown on Peter Street.

Police immediately chased the male on foot and a short time later, it was determined that he was believed to be somewhere within the nearby Orillia City Hall a few blocks away.

As a precautionary measure, City Hall was immediate placed into a lockdown condition while members of the OPP Central Region Emergency Response Team (ERT), who were assisted by a Canine Team and officers from the Orillia OPP Community Street Crime Unit conducted a search of the building.

A short time later, the male was located and taken into custody without incident and the lockdown was lifted.

Richard Asseltine, 26, of Orillia, now face a charge of Escape Lawful Custody in addition to the original charges for which he was being processed for earlier.

He was scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice located in Barrie, Ontario for a Bail Hearing later Wednesday.

Police say the circumstances that led up to this matter are currently under investigation at this time and no further details will be provided.

They add that: “Members of the Orillia Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police are committed to public safety, delivering proactive and innovative policing in partnership with our communities.”

If you have information about suspected unlawful activity, please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or visit Crime Stoppers at: www.crimestopperssdm.com or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).