RCMP have outlined the series of events leading up to the arrest of six individuals south of Edmonton Friday morning.
Police said it started late Thursday night, at about 10:30 p.m., when police responded to reports of shots fired in Lac La Biche – police said a vehicle with a number of people inside drove into a parking lot near an apartment, and two shots were fired in the direction of two other vehicles. RCMP said all three vehicles left the parking lot, and police could not find them.
It’s believed some of the vehicles may have been hit, but police said there was no indication anyone was hurt.
Hours later, at about 1:30 a.m. Friday, RCMP in Redwater (more than 150 kilometres southwest of Lac La Biche) were called to an attempted armed robbery. Reports indicated a vehicle that matched the description of one involved in the incident in Lac La Biche was involved.
In that incident, a number of people in that vehicle demanded money from an individual who was at a service station in Redwater. It’s alleged one of the suspects pointed a gun at the person, who refused to follow their demands. The suspects fled, and RCMP found the vehicle and followed it for a short time, but the pursuit was called off.
Police were then called to another attempted robbery near Redwater. In that case, a male stopped on the side of the road in his vehicle was approached by a number of armed suspects. He was shot in the arm as the suspects tried to get into his vehicle.
The suspects fled, and the injured man was taken to hospital in Edmonton. RCMP said he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
At this point, police said details on the series of incidents were passed on to police in other detachments and the Edmonton Police Service.
EPS found the suspect vehicle in the city, and the EPS Tactical Unit followed it – their pursuit continued out of the city, and into the jurisdiction of RCMP. Officers from the RCMP detachments in Leduc, Wetaskiwin, and Police Dog Services joined officers on the scene.
RCMP said the suspect vehicle was abandoned north of Wetaskiwin, and officers from EPS and RCMP Police Dog Services started tracking five suspects – eventually, all five suspects were found and arrested.
In the area, RCMP encountered a second vehicle, which was believed to be connected. An RCMP officer discharged his firearm during the incident – police took one suspect into custody, unhurt. ASIRT is investigating the incident leading up to the officer’s weapon being fired.
Police said both vehicles involved were found to have been stolen; one was stolen from Caslan, Alberta, the other from Devon.
Police said two youths: 17 and 16-year-old males, an 18-year-old female and three men aged 23, 24, and 33-years-old, were in custody in Wetaskiwin.
RCMP are still investigating.
