Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis said Wednesday that 52-year-old Andrew Baryluk, the man involved in a 17-hour standoff with police on July 30, died as the result of a single self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police were called to a Stella Avenue home at 10:45 a.m. that day for a report of a distraught male who had barricaded himself inside.
According to Clunis, a Crisis Negotiation Unit attended the scene and were able to make contact with Baryluk but communication was broken off sometime in the early evening.
Clunis said tactical officers attempted to deliver a communication device to the house around 8:20 p.m. when shots were fired from within the house.
The police chief said WPS members returned fire while attempting to safely retreat from the home.
Clunis refuted reports from a media outlet that a “flash-bang” device was used by the tactical officers prior to the shots being exchanged.
At 3:00 a.m. the following morning tactical officers entered the home and located Baryluk unconscious.
Clunis said the Tactical Emergency Medical Support Team then confirmed that Baryluk was deceased.
No officers were injured during the incident.
In addition to stating Baryluk died of a self-inflicted gunshot, Clunis confirmed that a firearm was located within the home.
Baryluk's sister-in-law Colleen Baryluk told CTV News the family remains dissapointed with how the standoff and the aftermath have been handled by police.
She said police arrived at the family's door to give them the latest update about Baryluk dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound only 15 minutes before Chief Clunis held his media briefing Wednesday.
She also said the family could have played a greater role during the standoff.
"That they handled it badly. That we could have helped. That he didn't have to die," said Baryluk.
Clunis said the Homicide Unit continues to investigate the incident.
