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Updated Sunday, Nov. 18 at 10:00 p.m. with new information from police

FREDERICTON – A middle-aged man who barricaded himself in the lobby of a hospital in Fredericton is now in police custody.

The Fredericton Police Dept. was called to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital just after 5:00 p.m. Sunday, after a patient reportedly left his room and said he had a bomb.

Sgt. Tim Durling said the man barricaded himself in the lobby, near where blood collection takes place. An Emergency Response Team, as well as crisis negotiators and the Explosives Disposal Unit, were all on hand to deal with the situation.

Officials secured the area and evacuated the cafeteria, directly above the lobby on the second floor.

Durling said crisis negotiators were in communication with the man until he moved away from the device and officers arrested him, at about 8:00 p.m.

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“It was a homemade device. it appeared to be made out of a TV remote (and) items he was able to obtain while he was in the hospital,” Durling said.

Durling did not say why the man barricaded himself at the hospital.

He said the incident was isolated to the lobby and no patients or medical services were affected.

The man is due to appear in provincial court Monday morning.

Durling said, at a minimum, the man will most likely face charges of uttering a threat and mischief.