3 teens arrested, charged in connection to 'violent' kidnapping from family home: Vancouver police

Police lights are shown in this file photo.

Three teens have been arrested and charged in connection to what police say was a "violent home invasion and kidnapping" that happened in East Vancouver last year.

The Vancouver Police Department released an update Thursday on an incident that unfolded on March 11, 2023. Police said four people were kidnapped from their family home in East Vancouver, driven out of the city and "held hostage for a period of time."

"We've spent months collecting and methodically analyzing evidence in this case, and that work led us to the arrest of three suspects who have now been charged for their alleged roles in these crimes," Sgt. Steve Addison said in a statement.

When asked why details about the kidnapping weren't shared with the public before the charges were announced, Addison said in a statement to CTV News the investigation was "complicated and sensitive."

"Disclosing information about this investigation while it was ongoing would have jeopardized our ability to obtain the evidence we needed to solve the case," he said. Addison didn't give details on a potential motive for the kidnapping, but described the incident as "targeted."

Police said charges of break-and-enter and kidnapping have been approved against three people: 19-year-old Duoth Techen Garkouth from Surrey, 19-year-old Ramadhan Ibrahim-Hussein from Richmond, and a 17-year-old from Surrey who can't be named.

"Ibrahim-Hussein and the 17-year-old were arrested in Surrey on April 3. Garkouth was arrested on April 10 in New Westminster," VPD's update said, adding all three are still in custody.