Police Respond to Armed Incident at Flamingo Motel in Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat Police Service responded to a reported assault with a weapon late Monday night at the Flamingo Motel on Redcliff Drive SW, following reports of a man armed with a long blade making threats inside the property.
Flamingo Hotel (PHOTO: FLAMINGO WEBSITE)
According to the MHPS public Calls for Service log, police were dispatched at approximately 10:30 p.m. on December 22, 2025, to the 700–750 block of Redcliff Drive SW. The call was categorized as “Assault – Weapon” under file number 25-35771.
Residents in the area and guests at the motel described a heavy police presence and what appeared to be a prolonged standoff.
Eyewitness Accounts Describe Standoff, Loud Explosions
In a local Facebook group, a resident identified as Tyberious asked for information after witnessing police activity near the Flamingo Motel.
“Anyone got any info about the very obvious standoff of some type with police over by the Flamingo just an hour or so ago?” they wrote.
“Police yelling with a megaphone at someone and telling them they are under arrest. An hour goes by and BANG super loud blast… then a second BOOM a little later. Shortly followed by no more megaphone.”
Another resident said they counted as many as 18 police officers at the scene.
While MHPS has not publicly released details about the tactics used, the loud blasts described by witnesses are consistent with tools sometimes used by police during high-risk arrests, such as distraction devices or forced entry tools. Police have not confirmed what was deployed, nor whether anyone was injured or arrested.
One individual associated with the incident later marked themselves on social media as “safe from meat cleaver attack.” This statement has not been independently verified.
Motel Has History of Health and Safety Concerns
The Flamingo Motel advertises rooms starting at approximately $42 per night, positioning itself as one of the city’s lowest-cost accommodations.
In April 2024, Alberta Health Services issued a public inspection report related to the motel’s pool facilities, citing health and safety issues that required corrective action. That report remains publicly available through AHS documentation.
Despite this, the hotel’s website presents a sharply contrasting image, describing itself as:
“One of the best hotels in Alberta, Canada… a gold standard for quality hospitality.”
The site emphasizes values such as honesty, creativity, teamwork, and guest safety, stating its mission is to ensure “every guest has a fantastic stay.”
Police Have Not Released Further Details
As of publication, MHPS has not released a public statement elaborating on the incident, including:
Whether a suspect was taken into custody
Whether a weapon was recovered
Whether any injuries occurred
Why the incident escalated to a standoff
The Calls for Service log notes that call types do not always reflect final case outcomes once investigations are completed.
Residents living near the motel say the lack of timely public information has contributed to anxiety, particularly given the visible scale of the police response and the nature of the reported weapon.
Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact the Medicine Hat Police Service directly.
