The Hay River RCMP have released a full explanation for the events that took place in Hay River on January 10th.
Early in the morning that day, the Hay River Detachment received a report of a possible hostage situation at a residence on Pine Crescent. Police were told that several armed individuals had taken a single person hostage and were holding them at gunpoint within the residence.
Officers quickly arrived at the scene and set up a perimeter around the area. Other police resources were called in to assist the situation, including the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, Crisis Negotiation Team, and other general duty support resources.
Throughout the day’s events, ten individuals were safely arrested. Three of those individuals are now facing charges, while the other seven were released without charge.
19-year-old Christ Nagateka of Edmonton has been charged with Failure to Comply with Release Order Conditions. At the time of his arrest, he was under the terms of a judicial interim release for other drug and firearm charges in a different police jurisdiction.
26-year-old Yonis Jama from Edmonton is being charged with Failure to Comply with Undertaking Conditions. When Jama was arrested, he was the subject of several outstanding warrants for his arrest in Alberta and the NWT for drug and weapon charges, and a previous charge for assaulting an officer in Hay River.
25-year-old Leron John from Edmonton is being charged with three counts of Failure to Comply with Release Order Conditions. John has appeared in previous NWT RCMP cases for drug and weapons charges. He is also the subject of a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest for his connection to a shooting in Alberta, and other weapons charges in the NWT. He is the additional subject to release order conditions forbidding him from being in the NWT except to appear in court.
All three suspects have already appeared before a Justice of the Peace, and have been returned to police custody.
This hostage situation is believed to be in connection to drug trafficking within Hay River. The initial report of a hostage crisis that was sent to the RCMP was not substantiated, is currently being investigated.
The Hay River RCMP have expressed their thanks to the public for their patience and cooperation in this matter.
