Air and canine support used to arrest fleeing suspects

SASKATOON — Two people were arrested after trying to evade police early Thursday morning, one of whom police say possessed loaded firearms.

Saskatoon Police Service says that at around 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 21, an officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of 20th Street West and Avenue V South, but the vehicle tried to evade at a high rate of speed.

The Air Support Unit observed it stopping at the intersection of 20th Street West and Vancouver Avenue, where a man exited. A female then continued to flee in the vehicle before abandoning it and fleeing on foot, say police, and she was located and arrested shortly after.

Police say when they attempted to arrest the male who had exited earlier, a confrontation police and a police service dog was deployed to effect his arrest. A search of his person found him to be in possession of two loaded firearms, false identity documents, assorted pills, and methamphetamine, say police, adding that he was later treated by paramedics for injuries consistent with a dog bite.

As a result, a 29-year-old woman was arrested on outstanding warrants and a 22-year-old man has been charged with several drug- and firearms-related offences, resisting arrest, dangerous driving, operating a vehicle being pursued by police, and possession of false identity documents.