RCMP have arrested a man who was reportedly swinging an axe, damaging property and uttering threats in downtown Whitehorse on Monday morning.

Officers responded to reports of the man walking on Second Avenue at approximately 11:15 a.m., finding him in Rotary Peace Park. 

An RCMP release described the man as swinging the axe at random and appearing to be agitated.

“Given the number of individuals at the park and along 2nd Avenue, the incident was treated as high risk for public safety and the officers approached the man with extreme caution,” the police report said.

“One officer raised his Conducted Energy Weapon and another drew his service pistol, neither of whom had to use their intervention options.”

The release said the man threw the axe away but did not comply with officer commands. The man attempted to walk away from police, who arrested him “after a brief struggle.”

The 33-year-old man has been charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose; mischief to property not exceeding $5,000; resisting lawful arrest; and failing to comply with the conditions of his probation order.

An eyewitness account posted to social media Monday evening lends different details than the RCMP report.

The eyewitness described officers tackling the man to the ground in the park after he had thrown the axe away and appeared to be compliant, kneeling on top of him and kicking him several times.

“I was worried because the man wasn’t moving at all, but when I got close I saw he was breathing heavily and was conscious, and that one of the officers was laughing,” the eyewitness said.

“As soon as the officers saw me approach with my phone recording they changed their behaviour entirely and appeared to treat the man very gently.”

The eyewitness said they saw the incident with several co-workers and filed an RCMP complaint that day.

The eyewitness noted that they weren’t aware of the situation’s context nor events preceding the park arrest; however, the officers appeared to use excessive force to arrest the man after he had thrown away the axe.

“I let my colleagues know I’d make a complaint and invited them to join me, as our entire department witnessed the entire event,” the eyewitness said.

A different eyewitness on social media said they saw the man on Second Avenue before police were called. He described the man as swinging the axe in close proximity to people and appearing to be unstable.

The social media accounts of the incident have circulated widely since Monday, yielding hundreds of reactions, shares and comments.

The RCMP news release acknowledged that a photo of the arrest had also been shared to social media.

Yukon RCMP Supt. Chan Daktari Dara said the man was arrested unharmed.

“Police officers respond to incidents with the potential for violence and volatility,” Dara said.

“Incidents like these, which involve police intervention, are dynamic and constantly evolving, oftentimes in a highly-charged atmosphere.

“Our officers used their best judgment in making this arrest, given the situation and with the number of individuals in the area that could have potentially been in harm’s way.”

Anyone who saw the incident is invited to report to the RCMP. The investigation is ongoing.