A police manhunt for two suspects wanted in a campground shooting and attempted robbery last week ended with partial success with the dramatic arrest of one man in Bowden.
However, as of press time the other suspect remains at large and the RCMP is still probing for more information on the captured man before determining whether he is in fact jointly responsible for the gunfire and bungled robbery attempt at Kelly's Campground, located 25 kilometres west of Innisfail.
“We arrested a suspect and all we can say is that we confirm he was in possession of some stolen property and some cocaine,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk. “We have not confirmed his association with the campground incident yet, but we have him on stolen property and cocaine possession. We have a name, but he had no ID on him so we cannot identify him yet.”
The drama began shortly after 7:30 p.m. on June 5 when Innisfail RCMP responded to a report of an attempted robbery and gunfire at the campground, which is managed by the Innisfail Fish and Game Association.
Marlane Davis, treasurer of the association, said two men drove into the campground with a yellow truck with black stripes and “came barreling down the hill into the campground at a very fast speed and busted through the corded gate.
“They stopped in front of an RV site and the driver got out demanding the occupant of the RV site give them his vehicle,” said Davis. “When the occupant refused, the man fired a shot from a handgun into the ground near the occupant. He then jumped back into the truck and the men fled the campground in the same vehicle.”
After the culprits left the scene campers at the site were grateful no one was hurt. A Delburne couple, who declined to give their names, said they saw the truck speed through the campground before the culprits stopped to demand possession of their vehicle.
“My husband had started eating and the young man who was between 20 and 25 demanded our Honda Civic,” said the camper. “He told them no, and a short swearing match began. The man fired his .45 calibre-pistol into the ground and drove away.”
The woman added she was lucky she was not planning a funeral the next day, noting the keys for the Civic were right in front of them on the picnic table.
“Someone was looking after us,” she said. “If the gunman had fired at my husband directly, things would be different. This is such a peaceful spot, and for this to happen is unnerving. You have to wonder why it happened here.”
The following morning the RCMP issued a press release stating two “armed and dangerous” men were being pursued. The vehicle used by the suspects, stolen from a rural location near Pine Lake, was located in Bowden shortly after the attempted campground robbery. RCMP described the two assailants as Caucasian males, in their early to mid-20s, and wearing dark clothing. One male was reported to have red hair while the other was believed to have light brown hair.
On Friday morning Mounties received a report from Bowden that a man matching the description of one of the suspects was seen in town.
Joe Foster didn't realize that a suspect in the attempted campground robbery was mere feet away from him in the Bowden Rest Stop until police entered the washroom facility around 11:30 a.m. and evacuated it.
“Basically, the police came in here, asked me to clear everybody out. There was me and another gentleman out (in the foyer). The other gentleman knew there was another guy in (the men's washroom) -- happened to be the guy they were looking for,” said Foster, who owns and operates the concession inside the building.
Once Foster saw that the police were armed he instantly determined the situation was serious.
“They had M-16s, one guy had a shotgun...just like in the movies,” Foster said.
The man in the foyer and Foster went outside as police apprehended a male in the men's washroom. The RCMP then escorted him out to one of the handful of police vehicles waiting outside.
Asked if he was surprised by the situation, Foster had mixed feelings.
“Yes and no. I knew that they were searching for someone last night,” he said. “And being a rest stop area, we have free showers and bathrooms.”
RCMP members from eight RCMP detachments, along with the RCMP Air Services Helicopter, Red Deer Forensic Identification Section and the Police Dog Service were involved in the search since the previous night at the campground.
The RCMP investigation continues.
With files from Johnnie Bachusky
