UPDATE: Aaron Gardiner (1977-10-02), of Ile a la Crosse, has been charged with the following offences in relation to an unlawful confinement incident: unlawful confinement; assault; overcoming resistance; utter threats; resist arrest; posses a firearm for a dangerous purpose; use of a firearm in commission of an indictable offence; proceeds of crime; possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Gardiner has been remanded to Meadow Lake court via CCTV on Monday, April 27.
The investigation is ongoing.
BACKGROUND:On April 23, shortly after 6 p.m., Ile a la Crosse RCMP received a report of a female youth being held against her will for the past four days in a cabin across Ile a la Crosse Lake, approximately 10 km from the the village of Isle a la Crosse.
Initial report revealed the adult male responsible for the confinement had temporarily left the cabin to an unknown destination. Ile a La Crosse RCMP made several patrols in the village of Isle a la Crosse in an attempt to locate the male. Officers also began to strategize the safest approach to travel across the lake to the secluded cabin.
Ile a la Crosse RCMP determined the only way to access the cabin would be by air since the Ile a la Crosse Lake was covered in water and slush. The Canadian Armed Forces and the Saskatchewan Emergency Response Team (ERT) were called to assist.
In the early morning of April 24, 2020, two CH-146 Griffon helicopters from the Canadian Armed Forces transported the ERT across the lake and landed next to the cabin. Police were able to secure the location and safely remove the youth from the cabin. The youth had minor bruising and was safely transported back by helicopter to Ile a la Crosse.
The adult male attempted to flee from the cabin after seeing police on scene. Once confronted by police, he resisted arrest. A Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) was deployed. He was arrested and taken into custody. The male received medical treatment by EMS for what were reported to be minor injuries, after being transported to Ile a la Crosse.
Firearms, and drugs were located in the cabin and seized.
The female youth has since returned to the care of her family.
