On July 18, 2023, at approximately 11 a.m., Grande Prairie RCMP received a report that two individuals had allegedly pointed and discharged a pistol, later determined to be a pellet gun, at the occupants of another vehicle, which included a 12-year-old boy.
Shortly after the complaint was received, officers with the Grande Prairie RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) located the suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop in the area of 68 Avenue and Resources Road. A pursuit was initiated after the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed east bound on 68 Avenue. During the pursuit, the passenger began to throw tools and wooden blocks out the window at the pursuing police officers. CRU and other officers from Grande Prairie Detachment continued to pursue the suspect vehicle into rural areas east of Grande Prairie until a tire deflation device was used to disable the suspect vehicle.
With assistance from Grande Prairie RCMP General Duty officers and the Grande Prairie RCMP Police Dog Services, the male and female were taken into custody. No officers or members of the public were physically injured during this incident.
The pellet gun was recovered from the suspect vehicle. The victims and suspects were not known to each other.
A 29-year-old individual, a resident of Grande Prairie, has been charged with the following:
- Flight from police
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Failing to comply with a release order x 3
- Mischief under $5000
- Using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Possession of stolen property under $5000
A 30-year-old individual, a resident of Grande Prairie, has been charged with the following:
- Mischief under $5000
- Assault peace officer x 2
- Possession of stolen property under $5000
Following judicial hearings, the 29-year-old individual was remanded into custody. The 30-year-old individual was released from custody on a release order. Both are scheduled to appear in Alberta Court of Justice Grande Prairie on July 26.