Man who shot at police during 10-hour standoff in 2023 pleads guilty to attempted murder with a firearm

Daniel Hackl faces minimum of five years prison, avoids a four-week jury trial

January 15, 2026

The man whose house was burned to the ground after he shot at RCMP officers during a 10-hour standoff on Victoria Day 2023 pleaded guilty to attempted murder with a firearm in B.C. Supreme Court in Chilliwack on Monday (Jan. 12, 2026).

Daniel Hackl was also charged with discharging a firearm with intent to wound but he did not enter a guilty plea to that charge, which is likely to be stayed by Crown counsel if it hasn't been already.

Attempted murder with a firearm comes with a mandatory minimum of five years prison for a first offence, seven years if it's a second or subsequent offence.

On May 22, 2023, RCMP officers responded to a report of an armed and distraught man holed up in a house at the corner of Queen Street and Knight Road in Chilliwack. Inside the home, police would later learn that the now 32-year-old Hackl had dozens of firearms, included some 3D printed ones.

The standoff lasted more than five hours when the situation escalated with gunshots at police officers. Further attempts to negotiate failed and the situation ended when the house went up in flames and Hackl was arrested.

Neither the RCMP nor the fire department explained the cause of the fire, including whether it was intentionally set by officers, something a neighbour claimed at the time. The fire destroyed the home. 

The case was put over to Jan. 19, 2026 to fix a date for sentencing.

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Paul J. Henderson
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