A man at the centre of a provincial manhunt is now in police custody.
Police had been searching for Michale Klimchuk since late Friday afternoon after he allegedly had an encounter with police in the parking lot of a Portage la Prairie hotel, tried to run over officers, drove into oncoming traffic on Highway 1, and kidnapped a 2-year-old girl and 25-year-old woman.
The RCMP sent out a release Sunday morning confirming that the Winnipeg Police Service took Klimchuk into custody earlier Sunday morning. Mounties say that he was taken into custody without incident.
He is now in the custody of the Portage la Prairie RCMP.
RCMP in Portage la Prairie had been called around 4:30 p.m. on Friday for reports of a man acting erratically in a vehicle in the hotel's parking lot and possibly consuming drugs.
When officers arrived they briefly talked with the 62-year-old man before he put his vehicle in reverse and rammed a police vehicle. Police allege that the suspect then drove forward "in an apparent effort to strike the responding officers and reversed again into the police vehicle before driving off."
A pursuit ensued but after the suspect began driving into oncoming traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway Mounties called off the pursuit.
At 5:20 p.m. the RCMP were made aware of a 911 call "from an individual who was living just east of Portage la Prairie. The 911 call had been disconnected but a male and female voice could be heard before the phone went silent," the RCMP says.
When officers went to the residence they were told that a 25-year-old female and her 2-year-old daughter had been kidnapped and their vehicle had been taken. Officers discovered the suspect's van abandoned nearby.
"Every available RCMP officer in the area was mobilized to assist with the search and the Winnipeg Police Service was also notified and were assisting with multiple units," says. "RCMP Air Services and WPS AIR1 were also called to assist."
Just as an Amber Alert was being prepared and about to be dispatched at 6:30 p.m., police say they received a call from the abducted woman. The woman said that the man had fled the vehicle and she and here daughter were safe and in the Polo Park area of Winnipeg.
Police say that the victim and the male suspect were not known to each other.
It's not clear yet where the WPS took Klimchuk into custody.
"The RCMP once again thanks the public, the media, the Winnipeg Police Service, the Manitoba First Nation Police Service and the Province of Manitoba’s Emergency Measures Organization for their assistance throughout this event," the release on Sunday morning says.
At a press conference yesterday, the RCMP said Klimchuk was wanted on the following charges:
- Kidnapping x2
- Forcible confinement x2
- Abduction of a person under 14
- Assault with weapon on a police officer x3
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of stolen property over $5000
EARLIER:
Mounties in Manitoba are hunting for the suspect in an alleged kidnapping of a 2-year-old girl and a woman.
On November 25, 2022, at approximately 4:30 pm, the Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to a hotel within the city following a report that a male, who was in a van in the parking lot, was acting erratically and possibly consuming drugs.
Upon arrival, officers approached the vehicle and attempted to speak with the male. The male spoke briefly with officers before putting his vehicle in reverse and ramming a police vehicle. The male then accelerated the vehicle forward in an apparent effort to strike the responding officers and reversed again into the police vehicle before driving off. Police were able to determine that the van was stolen from the Winnipeg area.
A pursuit was initiated by responding officers. Due to the dangerous driving exhibited by the suspect, including driving into oncoming traffic on Highway 1, the pursuit was stopped. Officers continued to conduct extensive patrols of the Portage la Prairie area for the van.
At 5:20 pm, officers were advised of a 911 call from an individual who was living just east of Portage la Prairie. The 911 call had been disconnected but a male and female voice could be heard before the phone went silent. Officers went to the residence and learned that a 25-year-old female and her 2-year-old daughter had been kidnapped and their vehicle had been taken. The suspect's van was located nearby.
Information led officers to believe the suspect was heading towards Winnipeg.
Every available RCMP officer in the area was mobilized to assist with the search and the Winnipeg Police Service was also notified and were assisting with multiple units. RCMP Air Services and WPS AIR1 were also called to assist.
At approximately 6:30pm, the abducted female contacted police indicating that the male suspect had fled the vehicle. She indicated that both her, and her two-year-old daughter, were safe and were in the Polo Park area. The victim and the male suspect were not known to each other.
An Amber Alert for this incident was created and was in the process of being sent through the Alert Ready system when the female victim contacted officers.
Through the help of the public, the suspect has been identified as Michael Stephen Klimchuk, a 62-year-old male from Winnipeg. He is 5'8", 220 lbs, has long brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a camouflage jacket and light coloured pants. He is believed to be in the Winnipeg area.
Michale Klimchuk is wanted on the following charges:
- Kidnapping x2
- Forcible confinement x2
- Abduction of a person under 14
- Assault with weapon on a police officer x3
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of stolen property over $5000
Anyone with information about his location is asked to call their local police of jurisdiction immediately.
The Manitoba RCMP would like to thank the Winnipeg Police Service, Manitoba First Nation Police Service and the Province of Manitoba's Emergency Measures Organization for their assistance during this incident.