A naked woman, two male suspects and a police standoff at a store on Robson Street

Two men are in custody and a woman — who was found naked by police — is being treated in hospital following a bizarre standoff at a downtown Vancouver cellphone shop.

Police were alerted Friday just before noon when an individual tried to enter a Wind Mobile outlet in the 300-block Robson Street, but found the store locked and noticed a bare human foot extending from behind the shop’s counter. The individual then called 9-1-1.

Sgt. Brian Montague said Vancouver Police responded to the shop and found the door locked but spotted a naked woman and a clothed man walking around inside. Neither of the individuals were co-operative and refused to open the door for police.

“Nobody appeared to be in distress but obviously a lot of red flags for us,” Montague said, later adding that it remains unclear if a possible sexual assault had been disrupted or if what took place inside the shop was consensual. “We didn’t know what was going on.”

Officers with guns drawn surrounded the Wind Mobile.

Montague said negotiators and the VPD’s emergency response team was brought in, and Robson Street was closed to pedestrians and traffic between Homer and Hamilton streets out of an abundance of caution. Officers were stationed outside the store’s front door, with guns drawn, while more officers were located in the alley by the building’s rear entrance with rams, used for forcing open doors.

After about an hour, Montague said the two men opened the rear door of the building, and were arrested.  Police then asked the woman to exit the building as well but she was reluctant. After some time, police were able to enter the building and escorted the woman out wrapped in a white sheet.

Police say the woman was “under the influence.”

“She, too, was unco-operative but she also appears to be under the influence (of drugs) at this time,” said Montague, noting the woman had been taken to hospital for treatment.

Police did not use any force in opening doors and there were no injuries. It remained unclear Friday afternoon if there were any weapons inside the shop.

Montague added that, during the negotiations, police were able to get in touch with a representative of the store, who told officers the business was closed and that nobody was on the premises.

“However, when we did take people into custody, he was one of the people inside the store at the time,” Montague said.

Following the incident, Montague said police were in the process of locking down the building so that investigators could search the Wind Mobile. Police are also in the process of interviewing all three individuals involved.

Police say the two arrested men are being unco-operative.

“It’s very bizarre and I can honestly tell you we still don’t know, until we talk to everybody, until the woman has been cleared from hospital and is able to talk with us or is willing to talk with us, we may not know what was going on here,” said Montague. “We don’t know if we have a crime, we don’t know if what was going on inside was consensual or not. These are questions that we’re going to ask as well.”

Very few details have been released about those involved, other than the men are aged 32 and 40. No further information about the woman has been released.

sip@postmedia.com

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