Kidnapping at gunpoint: 2 enter guilty pleas in case that led to victim's rescue by police
Half of the people alleged to have been involved in a kidnapping incident that began in Richmond and ended with the victim's rescue in Vancouver have admitted to their roles in the 2021 incident.
Ashley Smith, who was 30 at the time of the kidnapping last fall, entered her plea earlier this week, the B.C. Prosecution Service told CTV News.
Smith pleaded guilty to kidnapping using a firearm.
She is one of four people charged in the incident, and the second to enter such a plea. Michael Husain, who was also 30 at the time, entered a similar plea back in March.
Co-accused Harman Parmar, who was 24, has chosen to be tried by a judge, and will appear in B.C. Supreme Court for a preliminary hearing later this month.
The fourth person, Arjun Purewal, has indicated he plans to enter a guilty plea next month.
Details of what is alleged to have happened that day in September have not been heard in court at this time, given the pleas, but police outlined some allegations when the charges were approved.
According to the Vancouver Police Department, four people took a person from a vehicle at gunpoint in Richmond. It is unclear why this person was targeted, or what the motive could have been.
Police said the victim was restrained and assaulted, resulting in "significant" but non-life-threatening injuries.
It's unclear why the VPD was involved in the case, as the kidnapping occurred in Richmond, but the victim was rescued in Richmond by Vancouver officers, they said.
There was a "brief pursuit" before four suspects were taken into custody, police said, adding that the group was already under investigation at the time.
Vancouver police mentioned a series of armed home invasions and residential break-and-enters throughout the region, but charges do indicate that a connection was made between those events and the accused in the kidnapping case.
The guilty pleas are not associated with alleged break-and-enters or home invasions. Police also said there was no connection between that investigation and the victim.
Hussain will be sentenced on Sept. 21.
Smith, who also pleaded guilty to a breach of release order conditions, dangerous driving and being in a motor vehicle without the owner present – all tied to separate incidents – is scheduled to be sentenced one week after Hussain's hearing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'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.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.