Residents of a Winnipeg seniors residence remain shaken after an axe-wielding man smashed his way into the building early Friday morning.

Winnipeg police responded to a report of one or two men trying to break into an independent living seniors tower and care home at 165 Aberdeen Ave. with a bladed tool at approximately 3:45 a.m. on Friday.

Police confirmed that officers arrested a man brandishing a saw and hatchet who had used the tools to break into the Holy Family Home in North Point Douglas.

Officers also found two more hatchets in his bag.

"This could have been a disastrous situation," the home's CEO, Jean Piche, said in an interview.

In 19 years at the building, Piche says, he's never witnessed anything like this.

After entering the personal care home, the intruder was observed via surveillance video walking through hallways, washrooms and the chapel. A health-care aide intervened as the man entered the residential area, and asked what he was doing.

[The intruder] mentioned something about holy water, and so thinking very smartly, this health-care aide directed him to the chapel so that he would get away from the resident care unit."​​​​​ - Jean Piche, CEO of Holy Family Home in North Point Douglas

"I don't know what he was thinking," Piche said about the whole encounter, which he said involved mention of devils outside and a search for holy water.

"[The intruder] mentioned something about holy water, and so thinking very smartly, this health-care aide directed him to the chapel so that he would get away from the resident care unit."

Upon being diverted to the chapel, the individual lit a few candles before unsuccessfully trying to escape the building. Within 15 minutes, officers found the man code-locked into front entrance area, Piche says.

Police said in a statement that they believe methamphetamine did play a role in the incident.

Nobody was injured, but the building sustained some damage during the break-in.

"Everybody is fine," said Piche, who is confident in the building's existing security measures, although he said the home will be doubling up security for the weekend.

Police say a Winnipeg man, 38, has been charged with break and enter, possession of a weapon and failure to comply with a probation order, and detained in custody.

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