MONTREAL—Paramedics ducked under their ambulance on Friday night as shots were fired, shattering the vehicle’s windows. Eight hour later, a standoff between Montreal police and an armed man ended peacefully.

Police were responding to a call about a man in a disturbed state in St-Leonard on Friday at 8 p.m. when he opened fire on first responders.

Barricading himself in his home at de Pontoise St. and Belanger St., the man forced police to maintain a large security perimeter for hours.

“We were at home, me and my wife, and all of a sudden I hear two gunshots: BANG! BANG!” said neighbour Julio Bortoli.

“We decided to come out onto the street and I noticed an ambulance there on the corner, and I saw people scrambling, running away and I saw a cop car on the corner and he told me 'No, no sir! Back away! Back away!'”

According to Jean-Pierre Brabant from the Montreal police, SWAT units were called in from the Montreal force and the Surete du Quebec.

The building's owner, a widow who lives alone, said she was rattled by the scene. Along with many neighbours, she was evacuated during the long standoff.

“It was chaotic, with ambulances and police cars. Police came and took me out of the house,” said Philomena Ciarlo.

No police or paramedics were injured and the man surrendered just after 4 a.m., leaving his home near Santa Cabrini Hospital.

The owner said that the suspect, a man in his 60s, was quiet.

“He stayed in his place and I stayed in mine and that worked out fine until now,” said Ciarlo.

According to police, the man had four registered firearms, one of which was a hunting rifle. Despite the weapons, Montreal paramedics are trained to deal with situations involving weapons.

“As soon as we arrive and there’s something out of place, we see weapons, we see guns, we see knives or anything of the sort, we just leave everything on site and we hold a strategic retreat until the police can come,” explained Marc-Andre Gagnon from Urgences Sante.

Paramedics respond to some 500,000 calls per year; three quarters of those are with police at the scene. The experience of someone shooting at paramedics is extremely rare.

“It doesn't happen often. We see it often in movies but I know for the last 10 to 15 years at Urgences Sante, it never had happened before,” said Gagnon. “It was a pretty close call.”

Although police are still investigating and a psychiatric evaluation has been ordered, the man is expected to face a number of charges.