Petawawa standoff ends peacefully as OPP arrest armed man

Ontario Provincial Police say an armed standoff near an army base that lasted almost 40 hours has ended peacefully after a man turned himself over to officers peacefully on Saturday afternoon.

Police said a 44-year-old man turned himself over just after noon ET in the town of Petawawa, about 160kilometres northwest of Ottawa.

Police had cordoned off a residential neighbourhood and deployed the force's tactical response unit.

The police response began Thursday night before midnight and followed a visit by military police to a house inPetawawa, home of the army's 2 CanadianMechanized Brigade Group.

Military officials confirmed Friday that military policewere at the house Thursday night until the OPP arrived.

Typically, military policeonly respond when incidents happen on a military base or off-base and involve soldiers.Neighbours toldCBC News the people who live in the house are a military couple.

Neighbours who live on the same street as the house wereasked to stay inside and to keep their children off the streets. Those who left their homes weren't allowed back inside until the standoff ended.

The OPP said there was never a concern for the public, however.

Still, neighbours said the police response Thursday night was substantial and included heavilyarmed officers and police dog teams.

Police officers from as far away asHawkesbury, Ont., about 250 kilometres away, responded to the standoff.