On October 20, 2021, Manitoba RCMP were actively searching for Wesley Manfred Wadien, who was considered armed and dangerous. Wadien was taken into custody by members of the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and RCMP Police Dog Services (PDS) in the RM of Rockwood, Manitoba. The arrest followed a day of extensive police efforts to bring Wadien safely into custody.
RCMP were looking for Wadien in relation to an incident of uttering threats and pointing a firearm that occurred on October 19, 2021. He was also wanted on multiple arrest warrants for other offences. Selkirk RCMP were searching for Wadien based on these offences, and they were assisted by the RCMP ERT, East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team, RCMP Major Crime Services, and the Winnipeg Police Service Air 1 helicopter. Wadien was spotted at approximately noon in Selkirk. A traffic stop was attempted, but Wadien did not stop and fled at a high rate of speed. He headed north of Selkirk into the Interlake area. RCMP officers from Gimli, Stonewall, and Traffic Services joined in the search.
At approximately 4:35 pm, a report of theft of fuel was received from a gas station in the Riverton area, with the suspect vehicle matching that which Wadien was driving. Police observed the vehicle again in the Gimli area, where it continued to travel at high rates of speed. Risk assessments were being done continuously as the search progressed, and given the likelihood that he was armed, along with his escalating and extremely dangerous actions on the roadways to avoid arrest, police determined that Wadien was an imminent threat to public safety and activated the Alert Ready emergency alert system to send a warning to the public over cellular phones and interrupting broadcasts.
While the activation of the alert was ongoing, police observed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed in the RM of Rockwood. While investigating this vehicle to see if it was related, it was found in a ditch. A witness was able to direct police to a wooded area where the driver of the vehicle had been seen running. Police tracked that individual and located Wadien at approximately 8:00 pm. He was arrested without incident.
Wadien remains in custody. He is charged with:
- Possess Property Obtained by Crime over $5000 x2
- Possess Property Obtained by Crime under $5000 x2
- Operate a Conveyance in a Dangerous Manner
- Fail to Stop a Motor Vehicle While Pursued by Police
- Theft Under $5000
- Possess Weapon Dangerous to Public Peace x2
- Utter Threats x2
- Point a Firearm without Lawful Excuse
- Possess Firearm While Prohibited x2
- Operate a Conveyance While Prohibited