There was some anxiety on the Samson First Nation at Maskwacis over the weekend after a report of a man driving around with a gun.
According to Maskwacis RCMP detachment spokesperson Sgt. Dwayne Moore, “A 22-year-old male has been charged following a vehicle pursuit early Sunday morning.
“At approximately 2:20 a.m. on June 3, 2018, Maskwacis RCMP members were dispatched to a call of a male armed with a firearm driving a truck on the Samson First Nation. The suspect had pointed the firearm at a male victim and had forced a female victim to enter the vehicle before fleeing the area.
“Shortly after arriving on scene, officers located the truck in a field. The female victim was able to exit the vehicle.
“The vehicle then fled from police, leading to a short pursuit which ended when the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. Wetaskiwin RCMP members assisted with containment of the area. Red Deer RCMP Police Dog Services attended the scene and located the suspect in a wooded area behind his known residence.
“The firearm was also recovered and was identified as a modified .22 caliber rifle.”
Moore stated one Maskwacis man has been charged with serious offences in relation to the incident. “Gunnar Johnson of Maskwacis has been charged with forcible confinement as well as numerous offences related to the possession of the firearm and flight from police. He has been remanded in custody to appear in Wetaskiwin Provincial Court on Tuesday, June 5.”
