The RCMP is providing more details on the situation this past Sunday where gunshots were fired at police resulting in an emergency alert for the La Ronge area.
Multiple people have been arrested as a result of the incident and no injuries were reported.
Mounties say at around 11:30 am Sunday morning two officers were conducting patrols when a black car drove past them at a high rate of speed while on Far Reserve Road. The vehicle would then drive away from the officers ignoring their attempts at a traffic stop and turn into a driveway at a home on the street.
RCMP then say the male driver of the car fled the area on foot with one RCMP officer in pursuit. Another man then exited the car with a gun and discharged in the direction of the second RCMP officer who had recently exited the police vehicle. The officer then discharged his firearm. The RCMP says two bullets struck the RCMP vehicle one in the windshield and another in the front radiator.
The officers then moved to a safe area as other officers began arriving on scene.
According to RCMP, a large gathering was happening at the home and as multiple people exited they were taken into custody by the RCMP. A man and woman, determined by police to be in the black car, were taken into custody as well. However, Mounties say a third woman believed to be in the black car is unaccounted for.
Given the serious nature of the incident issued the emergency alert at 12:29 pm with a follow-up alert at 1:40.
The RCMP does say at one point a drone was flying over the area. Due to concerns around officer safety a message was included in the alert for the public to stop drone activity. RCMP say shortly after drone activity stopped.
As the RCMP’s Critical Response Team began assisting in the situation at around 4:30 pm three more people exited the home and were arrested.
A total of 17 people were arrested with 15 of them determined not to be involved and have been released.
However, the whereabouts of three individuals – the driver who fled on foot, the male who discharged the weapon, and another female occupant of the car have not been located.
Suspect 1 is described as a man with short dark hair with sides shaved, wearing dark pants and a dark shirt with gold patterns down the sleeves and dark runners. He has not been located and police continue to look for him. RCMP ask if you see this man to not approach and contact police immediately. A photo of the suspect provided by the RCMP is below.
At 5:35 pm on Sunday the RCMP cancelled the emergency alert.
No RCMP officers were injured and the RCMP says it is not aware of any other injuries during the situation.
“When an incident is unfolding, there is a lot going on and many risk factors our responding police officers must consider, the scope of which are far-reaching and public and police officer safety must always be top of mind,” said S/Sgt. Dean Bridle, La Ronge RCMP Detachment Commander, in a media release. “I am grateful for the kind words our detachment received from members of our community following the conclusion of the incident and thank the people we encountered yesterday who cooperated with police and followed direction. We didn’t want anyone to be hurt. We hope the information we are releasing today gives the public more insight into the seriousness of what occurred.”
The RCMP says the investigation into the entire situation is ongoing and they will update the public as new information becomes available.
(PHOTO: A photo of the RCMP vehicle with a bullet hole in the windshield. Photo provided by the RCMP.)