(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit has laid a number of charges in relation to two swarmings and is seeking information on additional, outstanding suspects.
On May 18, 2014, at approximately 2:20 am, a male victim was walking near Broadview/Byron when a vehicle approached him. A group of males jumped out of the vehicle and grabbed the victim, making a demand for his phone and wallet. The suspects then attempted to force the victim into the vehicle as he was also assaulted. The victim resisted and the suspects fled the scene in the vehicle. The victim was not injured.
On the same date, at approximately 3:30 am, a male victim was walking along Kirkwood near Nora Street. The victim was approached by a vehicle, at which point multiple suspects exited the vehicle, grabbed the victim, and began searching him. One of the suspects was reportedly armed with a handgun. The suspects demanded the victim turn over his cellphone and wallet. The suspects then attempted to force the victim into the vehicle. When another, uninvolved, vehicle approached, the suspects fled the scene. The victim was not injured.
As Police were at the scene investigating the second robbery, the suspect vehicle was observed driving by. The vehicle was recognized and also determined to have been reported stolen the previous day from a parking lot along the 400 block of Lisgar Avenue. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the vehicle fled, and then impacted a rock at the end of a footpath in the area, after a very brief time/distance. The suspects then all fled the vehicle on foot. Three suspects were arrested in the area by officers. An air pistol was recovered from within the vehicle. There were no injuries sustained by any of the three arrested suspects.
Three young persons, all age 17 of Ottawa, are jointly charged with the following offences:
* Two counts of robbery
* Two counts of possession of weapons dangerous to the public
* Two counts of attempted abduction
* One count of possession of property obtained by crime
The suspects have since been released from custody and appear next in Youth court on May 23, 2014.
The Robbery Unit is still attempting to identify 2-4 remaining suspects that were able to flee the scene of the second robbery. They are described as being black males, 5’9-5’11” (175 cm to 180 cm)