Three adults and a four-year-old child from the Spirit River area are unharmed after a man confronted them on their properties, attempted to steal a vehicle, and shot at the adults.
Around 3 p.m. on October 12, local RCMP were called to an address south of Spirit River where a man had been found trespassing on property belonging to the caller’s neighbour.
According to police, the trespasser fled when he was confronted by the neighbour, who dialed 911 and followed in his own vehicle.
The fleeing suspect soon stopped and shot several times at the following driver with a handgun, hitting his vehicle.
The suspect drove south until it followed a passing vehicle into a yard. There, he pointed his gun at the male driver and demanded the vehicle’s keys.
The woman sitting in the passenger seat took the keys and went inside the home, later telling police she did not want to hand the keys over while her four-year-old daughter was in the backseat.
The suspect followed her into the home, firing one shot and again demanding the keys. She gave the man the keys and called 911.
Police said during this altercation, the male driver had gone into the home and retrieved a long gun.
Outside the home, he confronted the suspect as he moved stolen property from one vehicle to the other. When he told the suspect to surrender and drop his weapon, the suspect fired several rounds. The victim fired back but did not hit the assailant, who then fled on foot.
RCMP apprehended the suspect a short time later with assistance from neighbouring detachments.
A 30-year-old man by the name of Ian Preston Letendre, of no fixed address, faces a total of 25 Criminal Code charges, including breaking and entering, discharging a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and armed robbery.
Letendre was taken into custody and appeared in Grande Prairie Provincial Court Monday.
RCMP Sgt. Ryan Frost called the incident a “dynamic situation” in which he was thankful no one was hurt.
