Four local teens were allegedly attacked late last week by a group of masked men, wielding weapons and uttering threats.
“Random. It was a totally random attack,” said Staff Sgt. Lyle Marianchuk of what he described as a serious crime of opportunity.
The teenage boys, between 14 and 17 were walking on 50th street close to 2:30 a.m. Sept. 11when three men wearing balaclavas and bandanas approached them from behind.
Three of the teens managed to flee the scene and began heading towards a gas station for help, while the forth was grabbed and taken into a nearby alley way to the north of 50th Street.
The three suspects were threatening to kill the victim, demanding his money. They were armed with knives and what was believed to be a gun. The boy was struck with the gun and cut with one of the knives.
“It had to be very traumatic — when you have three males, all with weapons, demanding money and then inflicting violence and uttering threats.” He said the teen suffered superficial injuries with a small cut on his lower body.
“He fought back and was in the process of getting away when the police car rolled up,” said Marianchuk.
The police member, who was on a routine patrol downtown, ran into the three teens heading towards the gas station for help.
Once the police arrived in the alley, the suspects fled on foot and the police pursued them. Two of the suspects were arrested soon after and the handgun and knife were recovered. The handgun was determined to be an air soft pellet gun.
Police said it looked like a gun, and was used as such.
Christopher Tyler Robb, 22, from Red Deer and Shea Donovan Allan, 21, from Innisfail were arrested and have been charged with a number of related charges including robbery with violence, use of disguises in the commission of an offence and assault with a weapon amongst man others. Both have been remanded into custody.
One suspect remains at large.
“They had a covering on their face,” said Marianchuk explaining they have limited knowledge of the individuals description. “I believe he would be around the same age so in his early twenties, approximately 5’10” or just below that, slim build. Other than that, a grey sweater with blue jeans. That’s all we have.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Innisfail RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers.
