BURLINGTON, Ont. -- A 41-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder after a woman's body was found inside an apartment west of Toronto.

Halton regional police say officers responding to reports of a verbal altercation at a Burlington apartment on Monday arrived to find a man barricaded inside, who told them he had a firearm.

Negotiations followed, but police say a tactical squad eventually forced entry into the apartment.

Police say officers searched the apartment and found the body of the woman, who has not yet been identified.

Malcolm Copeland of Markham was arrested at the scene.

Investigators are working on confirming the victim's identity.