Three men from Edmonton, AB, face charges following a hostage-taking at a residence on Pine Crescent in Hay River on January 10.
Police received a report that several armed individuals had taken a victim at gunpoint into the residence early Friday morning. Officers quickly responded, setting up a perimeter around the residence. The Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, Crisis Negotiation Team and General Duty resources were deployed.
Ten individuals were arrested during the operation. Three of them are now facing charges, while the rest were released.
Following the investigation, 19-year-old Christ Nagateka is charged with failing to comply with release order conditions. He was already under judicial interim release for drug and firearms charges in another jurisdiction.
26-year-old Yonis Jama is charged with failure to comply with undertaking conditions. Jama was wanted on outstanding warrants in Alberta and the NWT for drug and weapons charges as well as for assaulting a police officer in Hay River.
25-year-old Leron John faces three counts of failure to comply with release order conditions. John had prior drug and weapons offences and was subject to a Canada-wide warrant for a shooting in Alberta. He was also prohibited from being in the NWT except for court appearances.
Police believe the incident is linked to the illicit drug trade in Hay River, and the investigation is ongoing.
“The RCMP would like to sincerely thank the public for their patience and cooperation as police worked to resolve this situation safely,” stated RCMP in a Monday news release.
