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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.