Innisfail RCMP arrest violent suspect

The Innisfail RCMP were called to assist with a dispute on Aug. 17, 

Police learned that the suspect had assaulted the victim by punching him.    

The suspect was arrested for assault and later released with conditions.  

On Aug. 20, the suspect returned to the same property contrary to his release conditions, and police were called.   

When police arrived, the suspect yelled and threatened that he would assault them if they entered the residence.    

RCMP obtained a warrant to enter the residence. Police members attempted to negotiate with the suspect into surrendering which ultimately produced no results.   

When RCMP breached the door to arrest the suspect, he attempted to spear the officers with a sharpened hockey stick and threw human feces at them.   

Officers deployed pepper spray and a taser which were ineffective, and the suspect barricaded himself in a bathroom.    

The RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) assisted with the arrest. The ERT team deployed CS gas into the bathroom and the suspect surrendered without further incident.  

Keenan Joseph Sziva, 29, a resident of Innisfail, has been charged with the following offences:     

• Assault;  

• Breach of release conditions;  

• Assault Police Officer with a weapon (x4).  

Sziva was held for a Judicial Interim Release hearing where he was remanded into custody.  

He is scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer on Aug. 27.