Emergency alert suspect unfazed by police dragnet

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This article was published 21/10/2021 (1795 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba man who triggered an emergency alert Wednesday evening after evading capture for two days had outrun officers, drones, police dogs and the Winnipeg police helicopter.

The suspect was arrested in the RM of Rockwood a short time after RCMP issued an alert around 7 p.m. The alert said he was armed and dangerous, and posed an immediate risk to the public. He could be in the Interlake, Winnipeg or Selkirk, it said.

RCMP said it marked the first time the system was used for an ongoing threat.

“The RCMP in Manitoba wanted to ensure that all public were well informed of the potential risk that this individual posed due to the unpredictable behaviour he displayed toward police in the last two days,” said Supt. Rob Lasson.

Leisha Fenez witnessed the suspect escape police near a bridge on Highway 4 north of Selkirk around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. She watched as a white Dodge Ram truck drove over the bridge. She was at the bottom of the bridge near a stop sign.

“A cop came up behind me, and… I pulled over,” she said.

At least six police cars entered the area, Fenez said. They went on either side of the bridge and laid spike strips at the bottom of the west side.

“I’m assuming (he) must’ve seen them throw the spike strips down because he completely went around them,” Fenez, 26, said.

He veered away and drove between the bridge railing and police cruisers, entering the steep ditch, she said.

“His truck was, like, completely sideways driving in the ditch. Then he just got out of there and kept on going,” she said, adding he drove past her.

“He just looked like he was so calm. He wasn’t even fazed by the fact that he was being chased by like seven cops.”

Around 5 p.m. in Gimli, a witness saw the truck fly by on Highway 8. They guessed he was travelling at least 40 kilometres above the 80 km/h speed zone.

RCMP said the case began early Tuesday afternoon when the man had allegedly pointed a shotgun at someone in Selkirk and fled after police responded. Police said the man, who faced warrants for other offences, was wanted on allegations of uttering threats and pointing a firearm. During the manhunt, it’s alleged he stole several vehicles. On Thursday, police hadn’t issued any update on the case, including whether additional charges had been laid.

Court records show Wesley Wadien, 38, was charged with driving while prohibited on Oct. 29, 2020. An arrest warrant was issued in August after Wadien failed to appear in court.

His criminal record includes convictions for dangerous driving, possession of unauthorized firearms, robbery and breaches of court orders.

Wadien is from Stony Mountain and went to Stonewall Collegiate Institute, according to his Facebook account.

Meantime, officials explained why there was no follow-up alert to notify the public the suspect had been taken into custody.

“Cancellation alerts follow a national standard where they are not rebroadcast to all alerting platforms when an alert is over,” a provincial spokesperson wrote in an email.

Other means of notification, such as social media and news organizations, are used instead, they said.

The province has issued seven alerts related to policing since 2015, including Amber alerts for missing children, such as one issued last March about a missing two-year-old.

“Emergency alerts in relation to policing jurisdiction are determined by the policing authority,” the spokesperson wrote, adding Manitoba’s Emergency Measures Organization is the broadcaster.

There are nationally agreed upon practices that determine when alerts are issued.

— With files from Katie May

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com