Hours-long closure of Coquihalla Hwy. involved stolen truck, reports of firearm: RCMP
The police incident that closed the Coquihalla Highway for several hours Wednesday does not appear to be connected to any other "recent high-profile events" in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, according to police.
Authorities shared more information on the cause of the closure Thursday, revealing that the incident began when officers attempted to pull over a stolen Dodge Ram pickup truck near the Coquihalla Summit around 12:15 p.m.
Mounties said the driver tried escaping down a side road but that the vehicle became stuck. Three suspects then ran away on foot, and authorities said witnesses reported seeing one of them carrying a firearm.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the highway was closed for several hours while we searched the area for these suspects," Sgt. Josh Roda of Merritt RCMP said in a news release. "Without knowing their identities or their intentions, and reports indicating they were armed, we felt it was best to keep all members of the public from the scene."
Officers from the Merritt RCMP and a local Emergency Response Team responded to the incident, and evacuated a nearby construction site for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, where more than a dozen construction workers were on the job.
Police managed to arrest a woman shortly after launching the search, and found two men hours later. The suspects were all taken into custody without incident, authorities said.
The RCMP has not confirmed whether officers found any firearms during the search.
Little information has been shared about the suspects, but Roda said there is "no indication" they are related to any of the headline-making police incidents reported in recent days – including those that remain under investigation in Merritt.
"We are aware of the online speculation on the identities of these suspects," he said.
Another major traffic artery was closed earlier this week following an armed robbery at a car dealership in Port Coquitlam. Authorities said the suspects engaged in a shootout with police, and were chased until they crashed near the King Edwards Overpass on Highway 1.
Police are also investigating a double-fatal shooting discovered in Port Coquitlam on Wednesday evening, and multiple shootings and a kidnapping that occurred over a number of days in Merritt.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.