On June 16, 2020, at 6:35 pm, Flin Flon RCMP received a report, from a 63-year-old male from Sherridon, that a 20-year-old male, from the RM of Gimli, had been kidnapped by two males at a fishing camp on Kisseynew Lake, located approximately eight kilometers from the Pukatawagan winter road junction (52 km from the Highway 10 junction).
The 63-year-old male advised his son (36) was with two other men, (20 and 17), at the fishing camp when a vehicle arrived with three occupants inside. Two of the male occupants (suspects) exited the vehicle and asked the group if they had any firearms. The suspects assaulted and threatened the 36-year-old with a knife, stole one of their rifles, and then grabbed the 20-year-old male and physically forced him into his own vehicle and told him he was going to drive them to Winnipeg. Before leaving the camp, the suspects stole the cell phones from the two remaining males thus leaving them stranded at the camp with no vehicle and no phone.
The following day, the 63-year-old male arrived at the camp, and learned what had occurred. He immediately attended to the Flin Flon Detachment to report the incident.
With the information obtained from the 63-year-old male, officers issued a notice to the surrounding detachments of the suspect vehicle description.
Officers from Cranberry Portage, Flin Flon and Creighton, SK, conducted patrols on Highway 10 and located the suspect vehicle where an attempt to conduct a traffic stop was initiated, however, the suspect vehicle refused to stop. Officers pursued the vehicle and deployed a spike belt on two occasions in an attempt to disable it. After being damaged by the 2 spike belts, the vehicle continued on Highway 10 and then into a residential area of Flin Flon where it eventually came to a stop (the vehicle travelled several blocks in the city after exiting the perimeter).
Once the suspect vehicle came to a stop, the occupants attempted to flee but were quickly apprehended without incident by the officers on scene. The 20-year-old male victim was located in the pickup truck unharmed but quite shaken up and was extremely appreciative of the officers for stopping the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded firearm as well as a large filleting knife.
RCMP have charged the following individuals for which the two males were remanded into custody;
- 32-year-old Joseph Gunville, from Denare Beach, SK, is facing 19 charges including Kidnapping with Firearm, Robbery with Weapon, Robbery to Steal Firearm, Theft of a Vehicle, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Flight from Police, Assault, Uttering Threats and 11 additional Criminal Code charges.
- 23-year-old Jeremy Dumas, from Flin Flon, is facing 17 charges including Kidnapping with Firearm, Robbery with Weapon, Robbery to Steal Firearm, Theft of a Vehicle, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Flight from Police, Assault, Uttering Threats and 9 additional Criminal Code charges.
- 28-year-old Rozalynn Custer, from Denare Beach, SK, has been charged with Kidnapping with Firearm, Theft of a Vehicle, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose and Unsafe Storage of a Firearm. She was later released on court imposed conditions for court scheduled July 14 in Flin Flon.
"This was an intense and dynamic situation where our police officers risked their own safety by engaging in a pursuit with armed individuals.” said Superintendent Kevin Lewis, District Commander for Manitoba North District. “The professionalism and teamwork of our detachment members resulted in the victim being brought to safety and the suspects being taken into custody without anyone being harmed. I am proud of the actions of our members in bringing this event to a successful conclusion."
Cranberry Portage RCMP continue to investigate.
