LA RONGE – Police have charged a La Ronge woman with assisting a man who allegedly attempted to shoot and kill an RCMP officer when gunfire broke out in La Ronge June 19.
On June 22, 24-year-old Nikeyta Bradfield of La Ronge was arrested in Saskatoon and charged with two counts of knowing that Terrance Arnold Daigenault had attempted to murder an RCMP officer while using a firearm and did assist him. She is also charged with helping him to attempt to escape.
Daigenault was wanted on multiple charges stemming from the incident in La Ronge including two counts of attempted murder with a firearm, discharge a firearm with intent and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Bradfield and Daigenault were arrested at a business by Saskatoon Police Guns and Gangs unit, with the assistance of the Saskatoon Police Tactical Support, K9, and patrol units, as well help from the Saskatchewan RCMP.
Bradfield and Daigenault appear in La Ronge Provincial Court today.
They were charged in connection to the incident in La Ronge June 19 when police were shot at and multiple people arrested. No RCMP officers were injured during this incident and no other injuries have been reported to police.
RCMP say around 11:30 a.m. two La Ronge RCMP officers were conducting patrols in the community when a black car drove past their vehicle at a high rate of speed on Far Reserve Road. RCMP officers activated their emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued driving and turned into a driveway at a residence on the 100 block of Far Reserve Road.
The male driver of the vehicle fled the area on foot and one RCMP officer followed, also on foot. The second RCMP officer was outside of the police truck when a second male exited the car with a firearm and discharged in the direction of the police vehicle and officer, putting a hole in the windshield. The RCMP officer also discharged their firearm. A second bullet fired toward the RCMP vehicle hit the front radiator.
The two officers moved to a safe location and more La Ronge RCMP officers arrived.
RCMP say a gathering was happening at the residence where the black car was parked. Multiple people exited the residence and were arrested, including a male and female that investigation determined were also inside the black car and went inside the house after the firearms were discharged. A third female from the black car is unaccounted for.
Police issued an emergency alert in La Ronge, Air Ronge, Lac La Ronge to the public notifying them of a dangerous person with firearms in the La Ronge area at 12:29 p.m. The emergency alert was cancelled by the Saskatchewan RCMP five hours later.
At one point a drone was flying above RCMP officers on scene. RCMP say that while they understand the public’s interest in serious incidents, its presence and unknown intent impacted police officer safety. An RCMP officer on scene called out on a loud hailer and a message was included in the emergency alert update asking the operator to stop using their drone. Shortly after these two actions, drone activity in the incident area ceased.
The RCMP Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) responded to assist. As a result of the CIRT’s response on scene, around 4:30 p.m. three more people, two males and one female, exited the residence and were arrested.
Police are continuing their search for 22-year-old Celine Charles and 36-year-old Allan Sanderson both of La Ronge. Police say they may be in La Ronge, Prince Albert, or Saskatoon but this isn’t confirmed. They are considered dangerous and the public should not approach them. Anyone with tips or information regarding their whereabouts can contact their local police service or RCMP, call 911 or report information anonymously through Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-8477.
Sanderson is wanted for obstruction and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
Charles faces charges of obstruction. She is described as being 5-foot-4, 112 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She has a rose tattoo on her left hand, a heart and flame tattoo on her left arm and “Charles” tattooed on her chest.
The charges against the accused haven't been proven in court.
ljoy@glaciermedia.ca
