In rural Manitoba, four individuals were reportedly caught in the act of stealing from a property and were met by the armed owner, who fired shots at their vehicles, according to RCMP officials. The suspects, along with the 66-year-old property owner, are now facing charges in connection with the incident.
The group first visited the property on August 15 and returned later in the evening with two vehicles that were later confirmed to have been stolen from Watrous, Saskatchewan, as stated by RCMP. Their presence triggered a motion-activated security camera, prompting the owner to head to the property located in the rural municipality of Dufferin, a vast area encompassing Carman in south-central Manitoba, RCMP detailed in a news release on Tuesday.
Upon arriving, the owner witnessed the suspects taking fuel and confronted them, leading to gunfire directed at the vehicles. While three individuals remained at the scene until the police arrived around 10:45 p.m. and detained them, a fourth individual managed to flee in a stolen vehicle, the release added.
Allegedly, various items believed to have been stolen from the property were discovered in the back of a stolen truck used by the suspects, according to RCMP reports. A 29-year-old male faces charges including theft, mischief, trespassing, possession of stolen property, possession of break-in tools, and failure to comply with previous release conditions. Additionally, he was charged with weapon possession for being armed with a baseball bat, as per the police statement.
A 47-year-old man is charged with theft, mischief, trespassing, possession of stolen property, and possession of break-in tools, while a 41-year-old woman is accused of the same offenses but has not yet been formally charged.
The 66-year-old property owner is facing charges of careless use of a firearm, using a firearm in the commission of an offense, and discharging a firearm in a reckless manner. An RCMP spokesperson emphasized that while Canadians have the right to protect themselves and their property, any use of force must be reasonable and proportionate to the threat presented.
The two male suspects linked to theft remain in police custody, while the woman and the property owner have been released on undertakings. Authorities are still seeking the individual who fled in the stolen vehicle, which was discovered the following morning in a canola field a few kilometers away.