A 24-year-old man from Canoe Narrows is facing multiple charges, including kidnapping with a firearm, following a police incident that triggered a dangerous person alert in the Island Lake First Nation area.
RCMP say they received a report around 11 p.m. on May 15 that a woman had been taken against her will from a residence on the First Nation, also known as Ministikwan.
An initial investigation determined a man had entered the home with a firearm — which was not discharged — and left with the woman. Police believed the two were travelling in a vehicle, but patrols that night failed to locate them.
As the search continued the next morning, a dangerous person alert was issued at 10:25 a.m. for Island Lake First Nation and surrounding communities.
RCMP later located the suspect vehicle, which had been reported stolen from Canoe Narrows, off Highway 699 between Island Lake and Loon Lake. It was unoccupied.
A police dog unit and aerial drone team were brought in to help search a nearby wooded area. RCMP say both the male suspect and the woman were located shortly after. The woman was assessed by EMS for non-life-threatening injuries.
An airsoft handgun and an inoperable firearm were seized at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Mike Bouvier, is charged with:
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kidnapping with a firearm
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pointing a firearm
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possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
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uttering threats
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assault
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unauthorized possession of a firearm
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theft of a motor vehicle
Bouvier is scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on May 20.
RCMP say multiple detachments and specialized units assisted in the investigation, including the Critical Incident Response Team, North Battleford’s General Investigation Section, and Meadow Lake’s Police Dog Services.
Mounties thanked the public and media for their assistance.