Grande Prairie man faces assault, robbery with weapon charges

A 34-year-old man faces several charges after three separate armed assaults in Grande Prairie that sent three people to hospital last week.

According to RCMP, officers responded at noon on Dec. 23 to an assault complaint in the area of 117 Avenue and 100 Street. Police located a woman with serious but non-life threatening injuries who was taken to hospital.

Upon investigation, RCMP say the woman was assaulted with a knife by a suspect known to her.

RCMP responded to a carjacking near Hillcrest Drive and 96 Street an hour later. Police realized it was the same suspect involved in the previous incident.

The owner of the vehicle was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the stolen vehicle drove to a nearby home where he assaulted another man he knew with a knife, Mounties said. The injured man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

RCMP say they located the stolen vehicle and arrested the driver without incident later that day.

Brian Russell remains in police custody after a bail hearing and faces the following charges:

• two counts of robbery with a weapon;
• aggravated assault;
• two counts of uttering threats;
• possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
• six counts of failing to comply with a release order;
• unlawful entrance to a home; and
• possession of a controlled substance.

Russell is scheduled to make an appearance in Grande Prairie provincial court on Jan. 5, 2022.

"As this matter is now before the courts, no further information can be provided," Mounties said in a statement.