Multiple incidents involving firearms and assault occurred in the Battlefords this past week. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Criminal charges

RCMP Report Pt. 2: Firearm’s arrests, assaults causing injury

May 12, 2022 | 5:00 AM

Police in the Battlefords arrested a Regina man suspected of trafficking firearms.

The detachment was notified that someone was allegedly trying to sell guns stolen from the Blaine Lake area and located the suspect in a vehicle on Railway Ave. East Friday afternoon. Two firearms linked to a break and enter from earlier that day in the Blaine district were recovered, along with ammunition and a cell phone.

“Anytime there’s stolen property, one of the reasons is usually to sell it on the black market,” Sgt. Neil Tremblay said. “With firearms, it’s not uncommon.”

The 36-year-old male is charged with weapons trafficking, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in a vehicle, and possession of a weapon obtained by crime. He also faces additional charges from the Blaine Lake RCMP.

On May 4, the detachment had another gun-related call regarding several individuals in a vehicle on the 1000 block of 101^st Street. One reportedly pointed a firearm at a building before fleeing the area.

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The suspect vehicle was located a short time and four persons were arrested without incident, while a replica handgun airgun was seized. One of the persons arrested on scene was later released without charges, while the three others were held in custody and appeared in court on May 5.

As a result, 19-year-olds Jayden Soare and Ethan Weekusk and 18-year-old Draydin Stone are charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Soare also faces carrying a concealed weapon, pointing a firearm and two counts of breach of probation.

“The offence of pointing a firearm only requires that people reasonably believe that it’s a firearm,” Tremblay said. “The charges were a given that it looks exactly like a pistol. Anybody would assume that it was a real firearm.”

Officer assaulted, other incidents leave injury

During an arrest on Sunday, officers were assaulted by the suspect on Trudeau St. The members had located a vehicle and male occupant wanted in connection to a robbery from Wetaskiwin, Alberta. He was taken into custody after a brief struggle with the responding officers, one of whom sustained minor injuries.

Tremblay said the officer is fine.

He should be back on duty next week,” he said. “It was just from the struggle, where something happened to one of his arms, but it wasn’t serious.”

Twenty-eight-year-old Kyle Hoffman faces two counts of assaulting a police officer, two counts of resisting arrest, mischief and possession of stolen property. He made his first court appearance on Monday.

A pair of assault cases are under investigation that each left the RCMP with limited information. First, a 52 year old woman from Meadow Lake was dropped off at Battlefords Union Hospital early Saturday morning, suffering from a large laceration to her face. Second, members were called to Trudeau St. Tuesday afternoon, where a 31-year-old male was taken to hospital after non-life threatening injuries from an edged weapon.

The Meadow Lake woman was treated and released, while the RCMP do not have the location of the offence or any other circumstances surrounding the incident. The man is also fine, but was also uncooperative. Tremblay said they have some ideas in the latter case, but that investigation is also ongoing.

“We’re hoping there’s someone else privy to the incident who might know what happened,” he said.

“We don’t even know if [the first] occurred here or in Meadow Lake. We’re not getting a lot of information from the people that were initially involved.”

One more report came from a residence on the Mosquito First Nation Monday evening, where the victim reported being threatened by another female in possession of a knife before the suspect fled the area. No injuries reported and the investigation is ongoing, with charges pending.

Anyone with information on any incident can call Battlefords RCMP, 310-RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW